Major fashion companies such as Barbour and PVH, the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, have pledged to compensate garment workers in Mauritius with £400,000. This comes after an investigation revealed that migrant workers were required to pay exorbitant sums of money in order to secure employment.
In 2022 and 2023, Transparentem, a non-profit organization based in the United States, conducted a study on workers’ rights by examining five factories in Mauritius and conducting interviews with 83 employees.
According to a newly released statement, Transparentem asserts that it has uncovered numerous indicators of coerced labor, which is categorized as a type of contemporary enslavement by the International Labor Organization of the United Nations. In addition to employees being required to pay illegal fees in order to secure employment, the report claims they were also subjected to deceit, threats, and unsanitary living arrangements – such as lack of access to clean water and infestations of cockroaches and bedbugs.
The five factories produce goods for brands such as Boden, Asos, and the Foschini Group, which is the owner of Whistles and Hobbs.
Following an investigation into factory conditions, major fashion companies such as PVH and Barbour have committed to reimbursing employees at REAL Garments, one of the factories mentioned in the report, for illegal recruitment fees. The total amount being reimbursed is up to £400,000.
According to Ben Skinner, the leader of Transparentem, migrant workers displayed bravery by sharing their experiences through the organization. So far, only three brands have demonstrated through their actions that they truly listened to these workers. The price of making changes may be steep, but the consequences of not implementing reforms are even greater.
PVH stated its dedication to ensuring that migrant employees are reimbursed for any fees and expenses related to their recruitment.
Barbour acknowledged the significance of Transparentem’s discoveries and is collaborating with other REAL Garments partners to address the issue promptly. “To take immediate action, we have pledged to assist in the restoration of affected workers,” the statement read.
“We are taking steps to enhance our audit procedures in order to proactively prevent such incidents from occurring again,” stated a spokesperson.
According to REAL Garments, they are taking the investigation results seriously and have taken steps to address the issue for their employees. They have completed all necessary actions, including repaying local transportation fees.
The Foschini Group stated that they have thoroughly investigated the situation and feel confident that they have taken the necessary steps.
Asos and Boden did not reply to a comment request.
Source: theguardian.com
