Engaging FWD

WE ARE ENGAGING FWD BY WORKING BETTER

Our vision: We will promote dignity, equality and safe working conditions for all people across our value chain until fair incomes and respect for human rights are the norm.

People from across the world play a role in designing, manufacturing, selling and supporting our products. Working better considers how our business activities can create a positive impact on people – whether they are directly employed by BESTSELLER or work in our supply chain. Engaging FWD is an approach to truly embed human rights in the apparel industry. It addresses specific issues within our supply chain such as fair incomes and women’s empowerment, and simultaneously provides BESTSELLER employees with a platform to unleash their potential through development opportunities and best practice policies.

Fashion FWD a fairer supply chain

There is significant focus on manufacturing working conditions in the fashion industry. BESTSELLER’s Code of Conduct sets out the ethics and behaviour we expect from the suppliers and subcontractors we partner with. Through cooperation with suppliers and other companies, we will contribute to positive industry-wide change. Our commitment to this is for example reflected in our increasing supply chain transparency, including our publicly available factory list.

The power of BESTSELLER

Attracting, developing and encouraging talent has always been central to our business model, and our ability to unleash the human potential within our business will be critical to our sustainability aspirations. For example, we are developing and improving policies to support and engage our employees, including a diversity and inclusiveness awareness programme, which will be rolled out globally by 2021.

Empowering women's livelihoods

Of the thousands of workers in our supply chain, approximately 80 percent are women. As part of the apparel manufacturing industry, we have the potential to make significant improvements to gender equality, which is why we will support 100,000 women in Tier 1 factories to achieve workplace empowerment and improved life-skills.

Enabling healthy and safe workplaces

Healthy and safe working conditions are a basic right for all workers. We are working with our entire supply chain to implement fire, building and electrical safety practices by 2025, and supporting worker engagement to raise topics of concern and ensure continuous improvement.

Promoting productivity and social dialogue

The importance of social dialogue between management and workers in our supply chain cannot be underestimated. BESTSELLER’s Productivity & Social Dialogue programme facilitates better understanding between management and workers for the benefit of all parties.

BESTSELLER Employees: Our human potential

Our Fashion FWD strategy is greater than a person, greater than a team, it needs all of us. To provide the best possible circumstances for BESTSELLER’s employees, we are looking to take great strides in three key areas: Diversity and Inclusiveness, Healthy and Safe Workplaces, and Employee Development.