CSR

1
CSR Child Labour Project

• Furthering child rights through corporate social
  responsible approaches to child labour in the
  textile and garment industry introducing a
  child labour toolkit
• Rasmus Juhl Pedersen, Child Labour CSR Advisor
• E-mail rjp_at_redbarnet.dk

2
Project Objectives

• Development of a project model for corporate
  approaches to child labour that lives up to
• Business requirements
• Childrens rights
• Development of methods and tools for corporate
  social responsible understanding and handling of
  child labour
• Bringing together companies, industry
  associations, unions, NGOs and other relevant
  private sector and government sector actors in
  order to inform viable solutions to child
• labour in the garment and textile industry in
  Bangladesh

3
Why collaborate with the RMG sector?

• The garment companies are the right partners
  because
• They possess the needed expertise and
  qualifications in providing the children with
  marketable skills that can be applied in the RMG
  sector
• There is a need to change the mindset towards a
  more people and child friendly work environment
• Factories need to see their own self interest in
  improving workplace conditions and as a result
  improve worker productivity
• The garment companies can be our vehicle to
  address the buyers and consumers that presently
  dissociate themselves from child labour

4
Child Labour Toolkit

• Toolkit provides
• Guidelines to provide the best possible work
  conditions for children in the garment industry
• Guidelines to how to treat children in ways
  that respect their rights
• Guidance on how to prevent child labour
• Guidance on what corrective action to take if
  children are found working as underage (under 14)
  or with hazardous work (under 18)

5
Rationale behind the Toolkit

• It is acceptable for children age 12 18 to work
  provided
• Children are not subjected to exploitative and
  dangerous work
• The work of children is continually monitored
• The workplace is safe and special consideration
  is given
• Children are given proper training and
  instruction
• Work hours are limited
• Work is flexible
• Work actively enables children going to school
  and receiving vocational training.

6
Plans for the future

• Implement Child Labour Toolkit in Bangladeshi
  factories
• Carry out training for management, middle
  management and supervisors on CSR, child rights,
  and child labour
• Establish capacity for vocational training and
  job placement/apprenticeship

7
Value to garment companies

• Literate and trained workforce
• Productivity increases through
• Reduced worker turnover rate
• Reduced absence from work due to illness and work
  accidents
• More motivated workers
• Less products rejected in quality control
• Open markets for Bangladeshi products
• Receive premium on price

8
Value to children

• Skills Children are trained and receive
  marketable practical skills
• Livelyhood Children are secured access to
  apprenticeship and part time jobs in combination
  with stipend and after the completion of training
  full time employment
• Work safety Childrens work safety is improved
• Psycho social work environment Children are
  treated better at the workplace