On November 5, 2017, the Fair Labor Association (FLA) received a Third Party Complaint from the Deriteks union in Turkey regarding the factory Akin Corap, located in Giresun, Turkey. The union alleged that factory management had carried out illegal dismissals of union members and engaged in other anti-union practices. The factory was a supplier of socks to FLA-affiliated brand Hugo Boss as well as to other buyers.
Based on the information provided by the complainant, the FLA instituted a Third Party Complaint at Step 2 of the process and requested that Hugo Boss conduct an investigation of the allegations and potential remediation and inform the FLA of its findings within 45 days.
Hugo Boss informed the FLA that it was a de minimis buyer from Akin Corap and, moreover, that due to strategic decisions it already was in the process of terminating its commercial relationship with the factory before the complaint was received by the FLA.
As there are no other FLA-affiliated companies sourcing from Akin Corap, the FLA has decided to close the complaint. The FLA has been in contact with three non-affiliated brands sourcing from Akin Corap and has briefed them about the allegations, urging them to use their leverage to address the issues raised by the Deriteks union.