Welcome to International Resources for Fairer Trade

The Ethical Business Solutions division consists of services, which aim to promote, encourage, and monitor social and ethical aspects of business.

OUR GOAL:

To develop long term partnerships with all the stakeholders in the supply chain to achieve sustainable compliance through continuous improvement, monitoring and capacity building.

OBJECTIVES:

To render our services in a way that we are seen more as solution providers, than problem identifiers, through:

A concrete fact finding approach
Being an interface between the vendor and the Retailer towards mutual sustainability
Creating realistic awareness on social compliance challenges
To assist in development of a Continuous Improvement Plan for all stakeholders in the supply chain

We achieve this through a combination of services:

Social Compliance Monitoring

The Ethical Business Solutions division conducts audits that are transparent and participative in their approach. We conduct audits based on client code of conduct, local law and international standards. Our key approach for conducting audits is:

- Paying attention to the most vulnerable entity in the supply chain - the “Worker”
- Looking at all aspects of manufacturing in a way that the end result is "Sustainable Compliance"
- To analyze challenges to work towards long term "Sustainable Solutions" as opposed to problem centric solution
- Focusing on the "Root Cause" of compliance not being met

Social Compliance Training & Capacity Building of Workforce and Management Entity

Ethical Business Solutions division conducts trainings on various Codes of Conduct like Fair Labour Association (FLA) and Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). We also have the capacity to provide customized trainings in varied compliance objectives based on research. Our key strengths are:

- Integration of sectoral knowledge to customize trainings as per client specific requirements
- Simplifying compliance issues and standards
- Workplace Health and Safety
- Occupational Health and Safety

Continuous Improvement Monitoring

Ethical Business Solutions division has newly introduced Continuous Improvement Monitoring (CIM), with the key objective – “Sustainable Compliance”. Continuous Improvement Monitoring essentially looks at "Vendor Development" instead of "Vendor Evaluation". The service offered focuses on progressive measures to attain compliance.

Supply Chain Partnership Projects

We have a committed team to execute projects at different levels in the supply chain, with a focus on solutions to specific compliance issues. The intent of such projects is primarily to identify the areas of improvement, and build need based solution plans with qualitative/measureable indicators, thereby bridging the gap within the supply chain.

Research

Ethical Business Solutions division takes up research in areas of development of compliance standards, and comparison of Best Practices with challenges. We also specialize in product/ industry based research to have more practical approach towards meeting global requirements. Desk based and field study for producers/industries related to compliance challenges, towards practical remediation are also taken up by us to facilitate solutions.

OUR PRESENCE

Sectors

Garments
Textiles
Carpets
Leather (footwear, bags, and accessories)
Sports goods
Home Furnishing
Agro Products
Agriculture (seeds)

PROJECTS:

Syngenta Seeds Ltd.

The Fair Labor Association (FLA) engaged IRFT in developing monitoring instruments and pilot field audits for two years for Syngenta Seeds Inc. for the okra crop in Gujarat. Post audit, various remedial strategies on Labour Monitoring of the agricultural sector were discussed in a consultation workshop in Hyderabad in December 2008. Syngenta then approached IRFT to help build capacity of their staff and farmers/ growers in social compliance (FLA- COC) in the three states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. IRFT developed creative communications tools to motivate staff, farmers, and organizers of the Syngenta seed production business.

Project on Social Responsibility in Leather and Textile/Garment sector in India

Working conditions in textile, clothing, and leather industries are all too famous for often running under conditions breaching minimum social standards as a whole. In many garment and sport-shoes producing countries, the organized Civil Society generally supports initiatives from Northern Countries organisations aiming to back local undertakings with a view to make social conditions improve. However, the Southern organisations quite rightly consider that initiatives emanating from foreign countries are not to be used as an alternative to substitute for their legitimate role.

That’s why the Collective De l’ethique sur l’etiquette is in the process of in-depth dialogue with such organizations to make expertise sharing fulfill expectations. As part of this work the collective engaged IRFT to carry out a survey in India. This survey was aimed at collecting analysis and recommendations from various Indian partners.

Safe Food India

International trade in high-value food products such as fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, nuts and spices has expanded enormously in the last twenty-five years. However, there is also an increase in the consumer concern about food safety due to the recent food scares regarding contamination of food with banned dyes, chemicals, pesticides and the links between animal and human disease. This has led to stringent product regulations and additional quality requirements, which are not necessarily required under the law but are being imposed by the buyers.

FAKT Germany, with its experience in the field of designing and conducting food quality management coursers in collaboration with IRFT India, Traidcraft Exchange UK, envisaged a project to build capacities in the food industry to establish suitable food safety and quality management systems that strengthen the export capacities of the Indian SMEs.

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