Fair Working Conditions and Pay

At Jenerous we ensure that people employed by our partner factories (Jacobswell, Auromira Exports, Purnaa and Mila Fair) are being paid above the legal living wage in India for garment workers. We also work with factories that provide benefits and a safe environment with no discrimination or unfair treatment. You can find out more about our suppliers here.

Why is Fair Trade important in fashion?

Fair pay

Sadly, the majority of clothing is made by factories where staff are under paid.  93% of fashion brands surveyed by Fashion Checker aren’t paying garment workers a living wage. Many clothing factories are in developing countries such as India and Bangladesh, where garment workers are often unable to afford life's basic necessities. ⁠
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A living wage, is a wage that is sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for a worker and their family. It should be earned in a standard work-week of no more than 48 hours, and must include enough to pay for food, water, housing, education, health care, transportation, clothing and some discretionary earnings, including savings for unexpected events.⁠
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Fairtrade ensures living wages are paid to the producers, which means that they can afford their basic needs.

Fair and safe working conditions

Often garment factories are failing to provide safe environments with adequate lighting and fire escapes etc.  On 24 April 2013, the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which housed five garment factories, killed at least 1,132 people and injured more than 2,500. This disaster bought to light the issue of unsafe working conditions.  Fair Trade factories ensure that work environments are safe.

Workers in the garment industry also face long hours without breaks, discrimination and abuse, and often receive no benefits such as holidays, sick pay etc. Fair Trade organisations provide work that is fair and supports equal opportunities for women who make up 80% of the garment workforce. (Source: Fashion Checker)

No child or forced labour

The global fashion industry remains one of the biggest drivers of modern slavery, with more than one hundred billion pounds worth of garments at-risk of modern slavery imported into G20 countries in 2017 (Source: Walk Free Foundation).

Fair Trade standards ensure that people are choosing to work rather than being forced to work.

Care for the environment

The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world. The environmental impact of fashion is caused by greenhouse gas emissions, excessive water usage, plastic microfibre dumped into the oceans, pesticides used in cotton farming, toxic dyes that pollute waterways, not to mention the massive amount of clothing that ends up in landfill.

Fair Trade encourages sustainable production, waste and pollution reduction and prioritising the planet as well as people.

We believe that fair work should be the norm in fashion supply chains. At Jenerous we want to join with other Fair Trade brands to lead the way in creating better fashion.

The World Fair Trade Organisation

The World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) is a global community of social enterprises that fully practice Fair Trade. Their Guarantee System verifies that members are truly Fair Trade Enterprises. This means they pioneer models of business that put people and planet first.

"Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.”

Fair Trade is more than just trading, according to World Fair Trade Organisation:

• It is a vision of business and trade that put people and planet before profit

• It fights poverty, climate change, gender inequality and injustice

• Is a proof of concept that showcases the enterprise models of the new economy

The WFTO has 10 principles of Fair Trade that ensure that people and the planet are put first. You can read more detail about these 10 principles on the WFTO website.

The 10 principles of Fair Trade

Principle One: Creating Opportunities for Economically Disadvantaged Producers

Poverty reduction through trade and making producers economically independent.

Principle Two: Transparency and Accountability

Involving producers in important decision making and being transparent and accountable in management and commercial relations.

Principle Three: Fair Trading Practices

Trading fairly with concern for the social, economic and environmental well-being of producers.

Principle Four: Fair Payment

Paying producers a fair and fixed price by mutual agreement, ensuring socially acceptable wages depending on the location. The aim is always the payment of at least a Local Living Wage.

Principle Five:  Ensuring no Child Labour and Forced Labour

Adhering to the United Nations (UN) Convention on children’s rights. The organisation ensures that there is no forced labour in its workforce and / or members or homeworkers.

Principle Six:  Commitment to Non Discrimination, Gender Equity and Women’s Economic Empowerment, and Freedom of Association

Respecting the trade union rights and rejecting discrimination based on gender, religion or ethnicity.

Principle Seven:  Ensuring Good Working Conditions

Providing a safe and healthy working environment for producers and workers in line with the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.

Principle Eight:  Providing Capacity Building

Seeking to develop the skills of producers and workers so they can continue to grow and prosper.

Principle Nine:  Promoting Fair Trade

Raising awareness for the need of greater justice in world trade by trading fairly with poor communities.

Principle Ten: Respect for the Environment

Caring for the environment by maximising use of sustainable energy and raw materials while minimising waste and pollution.

 (Source: WFTO)