FLA at the 2026 OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector

From February 9 to February 12, 2026, FLA was pleased to host both virtual and in-person events surrounding the 2026 OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector.

Virtual Side Session: Beyond Wage Data Collection: Wage Verification and Gender Equity in the Pursuit of Living Wages

Monday, February 9, 10:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. CET

FLA and ISEAL shared recent learnings and practical lessons on how wage data can be verified in supply chains, with a focus on accountability and credibility. The discussion featured perspectives from brands and auditors on integrating verification practices into due diligence processes. The session also highlighted the role of gender disaggregated wage data, which is essential to understanding and addressing wage inequity within factories.

Virtual Side Session: From Principles to Practice: Addressing Caste and Advancing Nondiscrimination in Supply Chains

Tuesday, February 10, 5:45 a.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. CET

FLA, in collaboration with Arisa, the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), and the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR), shed light on a persistent yet often overlooked form of discrimination: caste-based discrimination. The session explored how such discriminatory practices continue to exist within global supply chains and presented practical strategies companies can use to strengthen their due diligence.

Investor Roundtable (by invitation only)

Wednesday, February 11, 4:30 p.m. CET

FLA introduced the Fair Labor Association and Investors Roundtable (FLAIR), which is designed to foster meaningful, expert conversations between companies committed to ongoing improvement and investors who prioritize human and labor rights in their investment decisions. FLAIR complements existing investor initiatives by focusing on impact in the upstream supply chain, where visibility, human rights concerns, and company efforts are often limited and opaque. 

During this initial conversation, participants discussed how investors’ engagement with companies can help human rights officers reinforce their corporate human rights strategy and how investors integrate human rights into their investment activities, presented the initiative, and gathered participants’ needs and challenges. 

Business Networking Lunch: FLA Resources and Due Diligence Approaches to the Full Value Chain (by invitation only)

Thursday, February 12, 12 p.m. CET

Developing robust risk-based due diligence models that address human rights issues at both upstream and downstream tiers of the supply chain is critical for global companies. Over lunch, FLA experts discussed resources, tools, and recent initiatives that support companies in understanding and addressing risks in across the value chain, including in retail, own operations, direct suppliers, upstream supply chains, and raw materials. Speakers explored how collaboration and collective actions can move the needle on some of the most serious and systemic issues.

Civil Society & Union Roundtable on Worker-Centered Responsible Exit & Retrenchment (by invitation only)

Thursday, February 12, 12:15 p.m. CET

FLA convened a roundtable for unions and civil society organizations focused on advancing worker-centered approaches to responsible factory exits and retrenchment in a context of trade volatility and economic uncertainty. The discussion explored how heightened tariffs and shifting sourcing decisions are exposing gaps in due diligence systems, particularly when workers are excluded from decision-making or left without remedy. Participants shared experiences and examined how to operationalize responsible exit expectations through meaningful worker engagement, social dialogue, and local accountability.

The session also identified concrete mechanisms and collaboration opportunities such as early-warning signals, participatory impact assessments, and transparent remediation processes to ensure factory exits uphold workers’ rights, livelihoods, and dignity, and clarify the roles unions, civil society, and MSIs can play in supporting these efforts.