Home Institution

Washington University in St. Louis

Publication Date

Spring 2023

Program Name

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

Abstract

The global fashion industry continues to exploit workers at the bottom of its supply chains. Multinational brands pressure manufacturers to churn out products at increasingly fast rates for increasingly cheaper costs. Severe problems persist in enforcing labor standards in these factories, and methods like voluntary corporate social responsibility are aspirational at best. A newer method of enforcement, worker-driven regulation (WDR), shows promise in its improved enforceability methods and focus on worker voices. The main research question of this paper is: What are the conditions that trigger and sustain worker-driven regulation at the factory level in the apparel industry?

Research methods include secondary source review from journals and grey literature and primary research through three interviews with experts. Findings show that two main conditions that trigger and sustain WDR are crisis events and stakeholder ownership, respectively. Further, findings show that these factors vary depending on context, making it difficult to draw absolute conclusions from examples. Thus, this paper offers illustrative examples to outline possible determining factors in the creation and sustainability of worker-driven initiatives, but by no means a comprehensive list. This research contributes to the ongoing pursuit of ensuring adequate and dignified jobs for all garment workers.

Disciplines

Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics | Fashion Business | Fashion Design | Inequality and Stratification | International Business | Labor Economics | Operations and Supply Chain Management

Download

Share

Article Location

 
COinS