The FLA is a multi-stakeholder initiative that allows different constituencies to work together to improve workers' lives. We complement the efforts of the International Labor Organization (ILO), national governments and labor relations systems by ensuring that participating companies and licensees observe the workplace code of conduct throughout their supply chains. The promotion of a culture of compliance in production sites throughout the world furthers government efforts to fulfill their international and domestic obligations with regard to rights in the work place.

NGOs, Consumer, labor and human rights groups, colleges and universities, students, workers and the public at large want to see the results of truly independent evaluations of the ethical conduct of brand-name companies. With access to objective information, different stakeholders can make their own assessments of the progress that companies are making to improve working conditions.

• Brand accountability. Transparency allows the public to assess company compliance programs–even in the most remote areas of the world.
• Public awareness. The public should be informed about prevailing industry practices, the challenges to compliance, and the company’s efforts to improve conditions and protect workers rights. For example, what hazards are involved in the manufacture of a pair of running shoes? What are companies doing to protect the health and safety of workers?
• Improvements in global workplace conditions. Transparency provides consumers with the tools they need to assess company compliance efforts and track performance. In turn, this provides an added incentive to companies to continue to improve workplace conditions.
• Creating a culture of compliance. Transparency should be aimed at fostering good corporate citizenship and the creation of a global market in which compliance gives factories a competitive advantage. These efforts–from the corporate boardroom to the shop floor–should ultimately result in greater protection of workers rights internationally.

In April 2002 the FLA Board of Directors passed a resolution mandating that the noncompliance findings of each independent external monitoring visit be posted on the FLA website. This transparency effort complemented the FLA Charter requirement that the FLA report annually on company efforts to fulfill FLA requirements. To these ends, you will find the following resources on this site:

FLA Independent Monitoring Process:
A review of the FLA process and methodology as well as the obligations of participating companies and licensees.

Factory Tracking Charts:
Information about the compliance situation of individual factories and the actions taken by companies in response to the findings.

Annual Report:
Issued by the FLA describing the compliance activities of participating companies, including the efforts undertaken by each company to implement the FLA Company Obligations in accordance with the Charter.
View 2006 report (pdf)

Archived Reports:
View 2005 report
View 2004 report
View 2003 report (pdf 1.5 MB).