ASOS has signed an agreement with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), extending its commitment to safeguard human rights to include transport and logistics workers.
The agreement will see ASOS and the ITF collaborate on human rights due diligence (HRDD), ensuring risks are identified, mitigated and remedied where violations occur.
The move will also see the retailer implement monitoring and compliance measures across direct and sub-contracted transport operations, engage workers in line with ITF guidance and provide remediation in cases of rights violations. The two organisations will also collaborate on climate change and gender equality, key issues jointly identified as affecting the sector.
“Agreements like this are helping the ITF to shift the dial on the protection of transport workers’ rights. But we can only do this in tandem with pioneering, progressive businesses like ASOS, who are ready to push far beyond the minimum of what’s legally required of them.”
Stephan Cotton, General Secretary, ITF
Cotton said many businesses were behind when it came to adding protection to the ‘goods not for resale’ (GNFR) parts of their supply chains.
“Many businesses are far too slow at prioritising GNFR and what it can mean for protecting millions of workers worldwide from rights abuses. But, when a retailer like ASOS takes a lead on this, it sends a clear message for other business to step up to the plate,” he added.
José Antonio Ramos Calamonte, Chief Executive Officer at ASOS, said the partnership with ITF will enable it “to take our work even further and extend our action to protecting and improving the human rights of workers in our transport and logistics supply chain.” He added this would reduce risk and improve supply chain resilience, “while delivering positive change for the people supporting our business.”
Retail Rewired 
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