This accreditation is something that aligns completely with our values as an organization, and reflects how we’ve always felt about how we should do business. To have gone through the rigorous process and to ultimately be accredited by FLA is the highest confirmation of how important those values are.
Mike Hutchinson, co-CEO for Lakeshirts/Blue 84
The FLA Board of Directors voted to accredit Lakeshirts/Blue 84’s social compliance program in June 2019, after the company demonstrated in a lengthy review that it has policies and practices in place to identify and remediate unfair labor practices in its global supply chain.
Lakeshirts, headquartered in Detroit Lakes, Minn., has been an FLA affiliate since 2010 and began its implementation period for FLA accreditation implementation in 2012. The company produces apparel for resorts and universities across the United States.
The FLA accreditation report noted that Lakeshirts’ social compliance program included the following strengths:
Lakeshirts’ corporate social responsibility committee, comprised of nine members from teams across the company and the executive team, facilitates broad cross-departmental collaboration on social compliance issues
Lakeshirts’ comprehensive monitoring guidance outlines clear expectations for third-party auditors
Lakeshirts’ method of ordering blank goods for embroidery and screen-printing in one centralized location encourages responsible purchasing practices
Lakeshirts demonstrates engagement with employees at the U.S. factory owned by the company, and within the community of Detroit Lakes, Minn., where it is headquartered.