Today, President Clinton welcomes to the White House the members of the Apparel Industry Partnership to Announce a new agreement. Leaders from the footwear and apparel industry, labor, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and consumer groups have found common ground, agreeing to a Code of Conduct and independent monitoring systems that will assure Americans that the clothes and shoes they buy are made under decent and humane working conditions. The Partnership also agreed to recruit others in the industry and to develop an independent association to assure compliance and inform consumers about the Code and which companies comply.

This agreement follows from a White House meeting last year. On August 2, 1996, the President and Vice President met with these parties to discuss the problem of sweatshops, consumer concerns, and the need to join together to address these issues. The parties formed a voluntary, industry-driven partnership that proposed to report back to the President its recommendations for action.

Participants in the Partnership include: Liz Claiborne; Nike; Phillips-Van Heusen; Reebok; L.L. Bean; Patagonia; Tweeds; Nicole Miller; Karen Kane; UNITE; the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union; Business for Social Responsibility; the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility; the International Labor Rights Fund; Lawyers Committee for Human Rights; the National Consumers League; and the RFK Memorial Center for Human Rights.

The Partnership's Agreement is the first of its kind. The agreement contains the following components:

A Strong Workplace Code of Conduct that companies will voluntarily adopt and require their contractors to adopt, which, among other things, includes:

• Prohibitions against child labor, worker abuse or harassment, and discrimination;
• The recognition of workers' rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining;
• A minimum or prevailing industry wage, and a cap on mandatory overtime to twelve hours per week;
• and a safe and healthy working environment
.

Independent External Monitors to conduct reviews of company policies and practices and to verify that the company is in compliance with its obligations and commitments under the Code of Conduct. Companies will also maintain an internal monitoring system that outlines the obligations each company will undertake to ensure that the Code is enforced in its facilities and its contractors' facilities both domestically and internationally.

Commitment to Form an Association Over the Next Six Months that will (1) recruit new member companies which also will abide by the Code and implement independent monitoring; (2) develop a reliable, independent means to provide for public confidence that the above obligations are being met; and (3) develop a mechanism or seal of approval informing consumers about which companies abide by the Code and monitoring.

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