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World leaders call for best practice in supply chains

Written by: Supply Chain Online
Published on: 10 Jun 2015
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World leaders call for best practice in supply chains

World leaders at the G7 summit have made a statement calling for better working conditions, social awareness, environmental protection and sustainability in business supply chains.

The representatives of the world's leading industrial nations released the joint declaration following their summit meeting in Germany. Those present included US president Barack Obama, British prime minister David Cameron and German chancellor Angela Merkel.

The declaration recognises the joint responsibility of governments and businesses to foster sustainable supply chains and encourage best practice. Following an acknowledgement that unsafe working conditions are linked to social, economic and environmental damage, the statement says: “Given our prominent share in the globalisation process, G7 countries have an important role to play in promoting labour rights, decent working conditions and environmental protection in global supply chains.”

"We will take action to promote better working conditions by increasing transparency, promoting identification and prevention of risks, and strengthening complaint mechanisms," the statement continues.

Businesses active or based in G7 countries are to be encouraged to show due diligence regarding their supply chains, while multi-stakeholder initiatives in partner countries will be strengthened to build upon the good practices learnt in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza tragedy, in which 1,134 garment workers died.

Other pledges include a 'vision zero fund' to reduce workplace-related deaths by rewarding accident prevention measures and high labour, environmental, social and safety standards. The declaration also calls for the public to be better informed, stating: "We welcome initiatives to promote the establishment of appropriate, impartial tools to help consumers and public procurers in our countries compare information on the validity and credibility of social and environmental product labels."