Fair Labor Association

Colleges & Universities

Most students take pride in their universities and like to demonstrate school spirit. From t-shirts, sweatpants and hats, to baking accessories, golf equipment and headphones, students and alumni buy many products bearing their school's logo. Even as they enjoy these products, students and alumni also care that college-logoed products are manufactured in a facility that respects its workers and treats them well. FLA university affiliates are committed to ensuring that fair labor standards and human rights are respected wherever their branded merchandise is produced. FLA-affiliated universities require their licensees — any company manufacturing products bearing the school's marks or logo — to commit to the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct. Licensees are required to meet strict standards, and to develop social compliance systems that identify risks to workers and fix problems quickly when they are identified. FLA provides tools for college and university officials to monitor the performance of their licensees. Is your school involved? Find out below.

Each of the nearly 200 colleges and universities affiliated with FLA have a representative on FLA’s University Advisory Council (UAC), which also elects representatives to the FLA Board of Directors and advises on policy matters and monitoring activities. As representatives of their campuses, UAC members play an essential role in upholding workers’ rights around the world.

Students use their buying power to advocate for fair labor standards for workers on campuses everywhere, and provide input to the UAC as part of its Student Committee.

About the school's commitment to protecting workers' rights and the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct: The Bowdoin Bookstore requires vendors to supply a code of conduct demonstrating that they are socially responsible, in accordance with the standards set by the Fair Labor Association. Copies of individual vendors’ codes of conduct are kept on file in the Bowdoin Bookstore in David Saul Smith Union. We attempt to ensure that all of our vendors have pledged to abide by the FLA’s Workplace Code of Conduct, developed based on International Labor Organization standards.

About the school's commitment to protecting workers' rights and the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct: Brown University is committed to conducting its business affairs in a socially responsible manner consistent with its educational and public service mission. Brown University expects high quality in the products, services and business practices of all of its business partners and licensees.

About the school's commitment to protecting workers' rights and the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct: California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is committed to conducting its business affairs in a socially responsible and ethical manner. CSULB values the welfare of the diverse people who help to manufacture the products that contain our brand image and trademarks. As such, we require all manufacturers of products bearing CSULB’s trademarks to strictly adhere to a Code of Conduct prohibiting abusive and unfair labor conditions.

About the school's commitment to protecting workers' rights and the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct: Carnegie Mellon University is committed to conducting its business affairs in a socially responsible manner consistent with its Strategic Plan. The plan recognizes that the University’s responsibilities extend beyond the confines of the campus: “Through our education, research and creative expression, the university relates to an unusual extent to the world beyond our campus.

About the school's commitment to protecting workers' rights and the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct: College of Charleston is committed to conducting its business affairs in a socially responsible and ethical manner consistent with its educational and public service mission, and to protecting and preserving the global environment. The College understands that vendors are independent entities, but the business practices and actions of a vendor may significantly impact and/or reflect upon us, our reputation and our brand, which is one of our most important assets.