CRITERIA

Employment is Freely Chosen

Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining

Safe & Hygienic Working Environment

Child Labour

Living Wages To Be Paid

Working Hours Are Not Excessive

No Discrimination

Regular Employment

No Harsh Or Inhumane Treatment

Use of Agency Labour

Continual Improvement

General

Code

Law

Assess

Action Plan

Case Study - Ethical Traded Flowers?

Lesson Learned

1. Company members have already taken the initiative in sharing this learning with contacts in the Colombia Flower Industry.
   
2. NGO members are also applying lessons learned, including one involving work with women workers, in another applying lessons about social auditing techniques.
   
3. The need for strong trade union participation remains paramount.
   

Other Lessons include:

• social audits should aim to continuously improve the social conditions on the farm, rather than focus solely on compliance.

• involvement and training of local auditors introduced benefits associated with the knowledge of industry, language and culture.

• involvement of all stakeholders in the social audit process, including civil society, is important in building confidence and generating ownership

• at least 50 per cent of auditors should be female since most workers in the industry are female