Three European Brands Team Up with The Centre to Tackle Child Labour in Garment Supply Chain

Across the globe, many young people are eager to join the workforce and acquire skills. However, they frequently encounter significant barriers due to unsafe working conditions and age-inappropriate tasks. In one large garment factory in Asia, 16 children under the age of 16 and 43 young workers aged 16 to 18 were found working in departments such as sewing, finishing, and quality control, often subjected to excessive overtime. Acknowledging the urgent need for change, three European brands partnered with The Centre to launch a remediation programme aimed at improving conditions for young workers and eradicating child labour.

The programme focused on both immediate action and long-term solutions. The brands worked with The Centre to provide educational opportunities for children under 16 and improve working conditions for young workers. As part of the initiative, production supervisors, young workers, and management were trained, and consultation services were provided to ensure proper implementation.

The three brands covered the costs of rapid assessments and third-party service fees related to child labour remediation. Key elements of the programme included regular monitoring and communication with the children, their families, and teachers, as well as providing educational support such as school searches and enrolment assistance. The progress of each case was closely tracked and shared through regular monitoring reports.

Active involvement from the brands helped the factory understand the importance of child protection. This led to a commitment to continue hiring young workers and offering support such as shuttle buses for transportation. The factory also agreed to rehire children once they turned 16 and were eligible for full-time work. This collaboration resulted in lasting change, as the factory made a long-term commitment to child rights and young workers’ welfare by ensuring they have the systems in place to offer safe, decent, age-appropriate work for children who have reached the legal working age.  

Positive impacts from the remediation programme included:

• Two children have returned to school, and 13 received vocational training at a local training centre.

• 18 young workers received training and were assigned safer roles with transportation support.

• 17 management staff members and 12 production supervisors were educated on child labour prevention and young worker management.

This collaborative approach illustrates the transformative impact a business can have on children and youth when they commit to respecting their rights and embedding it within their business practices.