At a time when both social and environmental NGOs and other stakeholders are becoming much more active in trying to achieve sustainable development through EU public procurement legislation and policies, it is vital that there is constructive collaboration and sharing of resources, learning, and best practice.

To this aim, key actors from across Europe have been invited to participate in this dynamic internal working session, which – although focused on the textile industry – should be highly relevant for all sectors in which SRPP can be used as a tool to achieve sustainable development.

Wednesday 12^th December 2012

09:00 – 09:30 Welcome and introduction

09:30 – 10:30 Campaigning for SRPP

10:30 – 11:00 Fairtrade Tea/Coffee break

11:00 –12:00 Work wear companies

12:00 – 13:00 Legal issues in SRPP

13:00 – 14:00 LUNCH

14:00 – 15:00 Integrating SRPP in Public Administrations

15:00 – 16:00 Verification schemes, MSIs & Certifications for SRPP

16:00 –16:30 Impact of the work on SRPP

16:30 – 17:00 Closing comments & catalan aperitif

Place: Hotel Alimara, Barcelona

You can see the full programme here

The report concludes with recommendations addressed to contracting authorities wanting to ensure that work wear is produced in companies where workers’ rights are respected and who most of the time are confronted with a lack of expertise and difficulties in finding answers to basic questions such as « How to introduce social criteria in a call for tender? », « How to monitor supplier compliance with social criteria? » or « Will there be any tenders? ».

Read the full report in English
Read the abstract in English
Read the abstract in French
Read the abstract in Dutch
Read the abstract in Spanish
Read the abstract in Catalan
Read the abstract in German (not yet finalize)

SETEM has released the documentary ‘Losing the Thread’ on the production of work wear in Morocco. The report explains the difficulties of tracing the origin of the uniforms worn by the European Public Administrations’ police, firemen, garden workers, etc. and the working conditions of the people who produce them.

The documentary is part of SETEM’s programme on Socially Responsible Public Procurement, in the framework of the European project Network Wear. The film was produced by the association Fora de Quadre with the support of the European Union. The documentary (27′) is  available on SETEM Catalunya’s youtube channel under a Creative Commons license.

As part of this presentation, SETEM welcomed Latifa Tadlaoui and Aboubakr Khamlichi, president and founder of the association of women workers Attawasol in Morocco. Both explained first-hand the situation of the textile workers in Morocco.

As part of a series of awareness raising activities, and follow-up to the ‘Made in Morocco’ research study, NetWork Wear invited Moroccan workers and labour activists from the organisation Attawasol in Tangier to undertake a tour of all partner countries, where they would meet and talk to citizens, local authority representatives, apparel companies and fellow activists.

Latifa and Khamlichi visited Spain, and Naima and Lamyae visited Austria, Germany and Belgium. In several of the partner countries this coincided with the release of the documentary ‘Losing the Thread’ about conditions in the factories producing workwear, and the problems of traceability.  The visiting speakers participated in cine-forums, relating first-hand experiences, in formal meetings with Public Administrations and companies, and in radio and television interviews.

“DON’T LOSE THE THREAD”

Moving towards social responsibility in the production of work wear

Programme

On December 14, 2011 from 9:30 to 14:00 in the Industrial School of Barcelona

During the session the documentary “Losing the Thread” was presented, which explains the difficulties of tracing the source of work wear used by European public administrations and working conditions of the people who produce it. Later the participants worked on case studies of Ethical Public Procurement and continuing in the same line as last year a participatory workshop was held to share difficulties, challenges and ideas for the future .

Abstract: Abstract of the Report Made in Morocco (Networkwear, 2011)

Report: Made in Morocco Report (Networkwear, 2011)

Ramon Vives, co-ordinator of the NetWorkWear project participated in the workshop Social clauses in Public Procurement with Ms. Carrillo-Loeda  (European Commission-DG Internal Market) and Ms. Maria Prandi (Escola de Cultura de la Pau- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona).

Ramon Vives presented  the key demands and messages from the Network for Sustainable Procurement for the revision of the procurement Directives.

These demands call for public procurement to contribute to a socially sustainable economy that focuses on quality employment, decent work, international labour standards, fair trade, environmental and sustainability objectives rather than just the existence of an internal market.

The Network for Sustainable Procurement (EPSU, GMB, UNISON, EMF, EFFAT, EFBWW, SOLIDAR, EFTA, Fairtrade International, WFTO-Europe, FERN, EMCEF, Ver.di, TUC, ENSIE, UNI Europa, Setem, and NETWORKWEAR) on the occasion of the European Commission’s Conference “modernising public procurement” [1] on 30 June 2011 reiterate their ‘five key demands’ for the revision of the procurement Directives.

These demands call for public procurement to contribute to a socially sustainable economy that focuses on quality employment, decent work, international labour standards, fair trade, environmental and sustainability objectives rather than just the existence of an internal market.

In the ‘key demands’  the Network stresses that when public authorities buy sustainable products and services this contributes to the EU objectives of sustainable development and the EU 2020 strategy.  Value for money/best value in public contracting is not achieved by going for lowest price – it is achieved only when wider social, ethical and environmental benefits are given clear weight in public procurement decisions.

The Network expect the follow up to the Green Paper on public procurement to take this on board.

Read the ‘five demands’ here

In an unprecedented step, the United Nations Human Rights Council has endorsed a new set of Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights* designed to provide -for the first time- a global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse impacts on human rights linked to business activity.

The new standards outline how States and businesses should implement the UN “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework in order to better manage business and human rights challenges.

Under the „State Duty to Protect,‟ the Guiding Principles recommend how governments should provide greater clarity of expectations and consistency of rule for business in relation to human rights. The „Corporate Responsibility to Respect‟ principles provide a blueprint for companies on how to know and show that they are respecting human rights. The „Access to Remedy‟ principles focus on ensuring that where people are harmed by business activities, there is both adequate accountability and effective redress, judicial and non-judicial.

In giving its endorsement, the Human Rights Council commended Professor Ruggie for developing the UN “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework, and recognized the role of the Guiding Principles in providing comprehensive recommendations for its implementation.

The full press release by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the action by the Council is available here.