Human rights at Gildan

As a responsible corporate citizen, we take our responsibility of being an ethical manufacturer seriously. Our longstanding priority has been to enforce and protect the fair treatment of employees who manufacture products throughout our entire supply chain, and we are devoted to protecting our people by applying strong human rights principles in the workplace and across our operations.

Our commitment

Gildan is committed to ensuring ethical apparel manufacturing through adopting the best labour practices and working conditions so that the human rights and dignity of all our employees and those of our third-party contractors are respected. These commitments are embodied in Gildan’s Code of Conduct, Human Rights Policy, Code of Ethics, Global Health & Safety Policy, Anti-Corruption and Compliance Program, Diversity & Inclusion Policy, Restricted Substances Code of Practices, and the guidelines set forth in our Social & Sustainable Compliance Guidebook. All codes and policies can be found here.

Human rights must be respected at every level of our organization, which is why Gildan is committed to upholding and respecting human rights as established in the United Nations (UN) International Bill of Human Rights (consisting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) as well as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Our Code of Conduct

In all regions where Gildan operates, the Company and its third-party contractors are required to protect the human rights of workers and ensure employee wellness by adopting and adhering to Gildan’s Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct encompasses the standards set forth by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Fair Labor Association (FLA), and Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP). The Code of Conduct unequivocally asserts our position on key industry risks, including the following:

  1. Child labour
  2. Forced labour
  3. Compensation
  4. Hours of work/overtime
  5. Health and safety
  6. Work environment
  7. Freedom of association/collective bargaining
  8. Harassment or abuse
  9. Grievance procedures
  10. Non-discrimination.

 

For all the details on Gildan’s application and protection of human rights in the workplace and across the Company’s supply chain, read our Human Rights Policy.