Ethical Trading Forum - Report by: Donald Lafleur

Ethical Trading Forum

Will Transparent Reporting Lead To Better Labour Practices

Ethical Trading Action Group

Toronto, Ontario

May 18 – 19, 2006

Report by: Donald Lafleur, 4th National Vice-President

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THURSDAY, MAY 18 - 3
Welcome and Introductions - 3
What Should Companies Report and Why? Is There a Downside to Transparency? - 3
Retail Council of Canada - 4
Nike - 4
Levi Strauss - 4
Collaboration with and Among Stakeholders: Why is it Essential? What Can Be Achieved? What are the Challenges? - 6
Sum Up and Closure - 7

FRIDAY, MAY 19 - 7
Debriefing - 7
Panelists - 8
CONCLUSION - 9

This forum which took place in Toronto was organized by the Ethical Trading Action Group (ETAG) with the support of the Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) and the Canadian Labour Congress (Sister Marie Clarke-Walker and Brother Bertrand Bégin were present on both days). The approach in these meetings has shifted as the pressure by the coalition groups has forced some of the multinational corporations to at least give the impression they are doing things to improve their image. As you will see from this report some companies actually participated in this conference.

There was a meeting of the coalitions in the morning before the forum officially began. Participants from the labour movement included representatives from the CLC, the Canadian Auto Workers, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, the Public Alliance of Canada, the United Food and Commercial Workers, the United Steel Workers, and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Worker’s Federation.

The participants list was broken down into the following groups: Academics/Universities, Civil Society – NGOS and Unions, Industry, Government, and Maquila Solidarity Network. The list of participants is attached to this report. There was close to 100 participants in all.