Chapter 4.2 Collective Engagement

20.04.21, 13:08Collective Engagement - Partnership for Sustainable Textiles

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Chapter 4.2

Collective EngagementPartnership Initiatives

The Partnership Initiatives are based on the conviction that we can achieve more by workingtogether. Several Partnership members join forces to achieve improvements collectively inthe producing countries, using the companies’ purchasing power, the expertise and contactsof the non-governmental organisations and trade unions, and the German Government’sscope for inCuence. Suppliers and local stakeholders also play an important role. FourPartnership Initiatives are currently ongoing, and others are planned:

Wastewater

This initiative aims to achieve sustainablewastewater management at textile factoriesand production sites, using capacitybuilding, the harmonisation of wastewaterstandards, improved data and analyticalquality, exchanges and knowledge transfer,and other approaches. More Information

https://www.textilbuendnis.com/en/detailseite-bi-abwasser/



Complaints Mechanisms

Workers in the textile supply chain shouldalso be enabled to lodge complaints. Thiscalls for eIective complaints andremediation mechanisms. In this area, thePST cooperates with the Fair WearFoundation (FWF) and the Dutch Agreementon Sustainable Garments and Textiles(AGT).

Living Wages

Although minimum wages apply in manyproducing countries, they are often notenough to live on. The Textiles Partnershiptherefore advocates payment of livingwages. Members involved in this initiativedevote themselves in particular to installingresponsible purchasing practices, freedomof association, and collective bargaining inproducing countries. More Information

Improving working conditions in TamilNadu

The Partnership Initiative Tamil Nadu aimsat systematically improving the workingconditions within the textile and clothingindustry in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu,especially for women and girls working inspinning mills.. To this end, it is working tostrengthen the multi-stakeholder dialogueat state and district level, and to delivertraining to inform and teach workers andfactory managers with regard to their rights. More Information

https://www.textilbuendnis.com/en/detailseite-existenzsichernde-loehne/

https://www.textilbuendnis.com/en/detailseite-tamil-nadu/



In 2020, 26 members 26 members were engaged in the three Partnership Initiatives TamilNadu, Wastewater and Living Wages. Quite a few of them are active in two or even all threeinitiatives. The Partnership Initiative on complaints mechanisms was still being set up and isabout to be launched soon.

Partnership Initiative Tamil Nadu: First Project Phase Completed



Results and Achievements

In 2020, the Trst project phase of the PI Tamil Nadu (July 2018 to September 2020) ended –with these results and achievements:

NGOs, trade unions, actors from politics and administration as well as companies andassociations participate in the stakeholder dialogue. In a total of 38 meetings at district level,6 meetings at state level and 2 annual conferences, they built trust with each other andstarted working together. In all four districts – Tirupur, Coimbatore, Erode and Dindigul –steering committees were formed, which have developed action plans and are nowimplementing them. The action plans address issues such as working conditions in factoryhostels, harassment at the workplace, social protection and labour laws. In addition to thefour district committees, another steering committee was formed at the state level.

These are the achievements of the training module:



Starting the second project phase with more trust and commitment

The members of the PI agree: Based on the successes and lessons learnt, they want tocontinue their joint activities. That is why they are currently preparing the next phase. Inparticular, the structures created and the trust between the stakeholders are to beconsolidated and further developed.

The Partnership Initiative in Tamil Nadu reacts to the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, some of the factory trainings could not take place as planned.Therefore, the members of the PI decided to reallocate some of the funds so that the localimplementation organisation SAVE could contribute to hygiene and infection control in theproduction facilities. Among other things, it distributed government guidelines on handlingCOVID-19 in about 580 spinning mills and factories. In addition, she sought dialogue withpolitical representatives in the four districts in order to respond to the increasing number ofreported cases of child labour.

News

Statements from Tamil Nadu

At the 2nd Annual Conference of the MSI-TN, we interviewed some attendees. Weasked them how they assess the work of theMSI-TN, how they work with the MSI-TNand what their wishes for the future are.



News

2nd annual conference of MSI-TN

The MSI-TN is making progress. Thisbecame visible at the Second InternationalAnnual Conference. About 140 participantsattended the conference on 6th February2020 in Coimbatore, which was supportedby the Partnership Initiative Tamil Nadu.

Partnership Initiative Living Wages

In the second module of the PI, the Fair Wear Foundation, the Dutch Agreement onSustainable Garments and Textile (AGT) and the PST jointly oIer supplier trainings. The aimof the trainings is to inform suppliers about basic social standards. They also learn tools andmethods to help them raise wages for workers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the suppliertrainings could not take place as originally planned. However, two online trainings took placein September and November 2020, which were also attended by suppliers from PSTcompanies. Further trainings are planned for autumn 2021.



Partnership Initiative Wastewater



News

Start of the Partnership InitiativeWastewater

Sustainable wastewater management in thetextile supply chain is the goal of the newPartnership Initiative. The focus countriesare Taiwan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, China,Pakistan and Turkey.

More Information on the Partnership Initiatives

Details on the Partnership Initiatives can be found on the . What happened in thePartnership Initiatives in 2020, what activities took place and what progress was made, youcan read in the .

website

report on the 2020 Members´ Meeting

Report on the 2020 Members’ Meeting

News from our Partnership Initiatives

Read the report on the 2020 Members’Meeting to learn about developments in thePartnership Initiatives in 2020, whatactivities were carried out and howsuccessful they were.

https://www.textilbuendnis.com/en/buendnisinitiativen/

https://www.textilbuendnis.com/mv-2020-bericht/%23flipbook-df_34107/21/

Documents

Chapter 4.2 Collective Engagement