Clarks

Download Clark's' submission (pdf)

Responded to survey: yes

MSI involvement: no [what's this?]

Grade 1: Accepts the principle of a living wage, but applies legal minimum/industry benchmark. [what's this?]

Summary

Clarks has obviously thought a little about living wages, but it is a long way behind in this thinking. It needs to learn from other companies whose work is more progressed.

Position on living wages

Code of conduct states that “wages must be sufficient to meet basic needs.”

Work so far on living wages

None mentioned.

Plans on living wages

“Our current priority is to ensure that workers are paid at least the minimum wage and all benefits required by local law.” Questions asked by auditors are “helping us to get a more informed view of 'basic needs'.”

Other significant information

Says this about freedom of association:

As a Company we have over many years suggested that employees should consider joining the unions that have or have had representation within the business. We believe that where unions are not operating freely our suppliers should establish other ways of collaborating with their employees and we encourage them to do so.

Our comments

Clarks' code mentions wages meeting basic needs, but it clearly doesn't do anything to implement this. Its auditing system and position on freedom of association also seem to be very simplistic. Clarks needs to learn from others, and to do this it should join the Ethical Trading Initiative.