Prana achieved accreditation of its social compliance program with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) earlier this month, affirming the apparel company's commitment to promoting and complying with international labor standards through their supply chain, using FLA’s workplace Code of Conduct.
“Being accredited allows an organization with expertise in human and labor rights the ability to assess our efforts,” said Linda Tanouye, VP of Production and Development, “The FLA and their feedback identifies where our program’s strengths and areas for growth are, which ultimately allows Prana to become a better company.”
Prana joined the Fair Labor Association in 2010 to align with best practice obligations, to be transparent, and to be held accountable to their social responsibility commitment. Prana believes that knowledge of how and where clothing is made creates positive change not only in the industry, but with their customers as well.
To become accredited by the FLA, companies like Prana are assessed and must fulfill the Principles of Fair Labor & Responsible Sourcing, which include:
- Adopting and communicating workplace standards
- Training staff to assess and remediate noncompliance issues
- Conducting internal assessments of facilities
- Providing workers with confidential reporting channels
“It’s not only about monitoring our supply chain, but also being part of a group of people who are developing mechanisms to address systemic issues around labor rights,” Prana’s Director of Sustainability Nicole Bassett said about the importance FLA accreditation.
Additional information about Prana’s Fair Labor initiatives and and workplace standards for its suppliers are available on its web site.
Prana is sold in five flagship stores, online at prana.com, and in 1,400 specialty retailers across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. Prana is one of the portfolio brands of Columbia Sportswear Company (COLM).
Since 1999, The Fair Labor Association has helped improve the lives of thousands of workers around the globe. By bringing together multiple stakeholders, calling for greater accountability and transparency from manufacturers, factories, and others involved in global supply chains, and creating lasting solutions to exploitative labor practices, the FLA is making steady progress toward fulfilling our mission: protecting workers’ rights and improving working conditions worldwide.
With the active involvement of universities, civil society organizations, and socially responsible corporations, the FLA has formed a unique and powerful alliance that is effecting positive change around the globe.
