16 Nov 2007

BANGALORE: San francisco-headquartered GAP on Thursday unveiled a series of steps aimed at minimising the impact of child labour allegations hurled at one of its vendors in India. The first of these is to cut down sourcing garments from that particular vendor, reportedly in New Delhi by 50%.

ET on October 31 reported that GAP may implement measures to check increasing labour concerns in some of its 200-odd vendors across India. A few weeks ago, Bachpan Bachao Andolan activists along with the police raided a sub-contract facility of GAP’s New Delhi-based vendor, allegedly exposing child labour.

Apart from reducing offtake from the New Delhi-based vendor, the $15 billion GAP now intends to provide a grant of $200,000 to help rehabilitate the affected children. Further GAP has also asked its In-dian vendors to stay out of sub-contracting work as far as possible.

And wherever sub-contracting is imperative, GAP will bring them under their global monitoring system, which hitherto covered only the main vendors in India. For this, GAP is expected to rope in NGOs to help them keep a tab on sub-contract units, industry sources said.

International agency reports indicated that GAP would also partner with international agencies to provide independent monitoring of hand embroidery and beadwork that is typically done by jobbers in sub-contract facilities largely in North India.

“They have taken action against the offending vendor though we don’t expect a reduction in the offtake,” a senior official of Gokaldas Exports told ET.

Gokaldas Exports, India’s largest apparel exporter is also the biggest supplier to GAP, accounts for nearly 50% of the Bangalore-based company’s topline.

GAP is one of the biggest apparel exporters along with others like Liz Claiborne. India’s $9 billion worth garment export industry came under fire from activists in recent times for its reported poor labour standards and low wages.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Garments__Textiles/GAP_moves_to_
clear_child_labour_charge/articleshow/2544251.cms