prAna’s Social Compliance Program Receives Accreditation from the Fair Labor Association
Carlsbad, CA (PRWEB) February 18, 2015 -- prAna is pleased to announce that the Fair Labor Association’s (FLA) Board of Directors accredited prAna’s social compliance program earlier this month, affirming prAna’s commitment to promoting and complying with international labor standards through their supply chain, using FLA’s workplace Code of Conduct.
“Being accredited allows an organization with expertise in human and labor rights the ability to assess our efforts,” said Linda Tanouye, VP of Production and Development. “The FLA and their feedback identifies where our program’s strengths and areas for growth are, which ultimately allows prAna to become a better company.”
prAna, a performance and lifestyle apparel brand, has always strived to produce quality apparel in the most socially mindful and environmentally friendly way possible. prAna joined the Fair Labor Association in 2010 to align with best practice obligations, to be transparent, and to be held accountable to their social responsibility commitment. prAna believes that knowledge of how and where clothing is made creates positive change not only in the industry, but with their customers as well.
To become accredited by the FLA, companies like prAna are assessed and must fulfill the Principles of Fair Labor & Responsible Sourcing, which include:
• Adopting and communicating workplace standards
• Training staff to assess and remediate noncompliance issues
• Conducting internal assessments of facilities
• Providing workers with confidential reporting channels
“It’s not only about monitoring our supply chain, but also being part of a group of people who are developing mechanisms to address systemic issues around labor rights,” says prAna’s Director of Sustainability Nicole Bassett, about the importance of the FLA in prAna’s social responsibility program.
To learn more about prAna’s efforts in Fair Labor please visit [http://www.prana.com/life/sustainability/people/ and to reference prAna’s workplace standards for all suppliers visit http://www.prana.com/life/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/standards.pdf.
You can also find out more about the FLA’s accreditation program and other brands who are accredited, by visiting http://www.fairlabor.org/accreditation.
About prAna
prAna is a lifestyle brand that draws its name from the ancient Sanskrit word for breath, life and vitality of the spirit. The prAna team creates purposeful and stylish apparel for people to pursue their passions on the water, mat, rock, trail, and street. From its beginning in 1993, prAna has been committed to weaving sustainable practices into its operations and supply chain, working to reduce its impact on soils, water supplies and other natural resources while promoting conservation. prAna is also conscious of its impact on communities and has worked to include a growing number of fair trade styles every year. It is the first major apparel company in North America to offer Fair Trade USA certified products and accessories. prAna is sold in five flagship stores, online at prana.com, and in 1,400 specialty retailers across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. PrAna is one of the portfolio brands of Columbia Sportswear Company (COLM).
About The Fair Labor Association
Since 1999, The Fair Labor Association has helped improve the lives of thousands of workers around the globe. By bringing together multiple stakeholders, calling for greater accountability and transparency from manufacturers, factories, and others involved in global supply chains, and creating lasting solutions to exploitative labor practices, the FLA is making steady progress toward fulfilling our mission: protecting workers’ rights and improving working conditions worldwide.
With the active involvement of universities, civil society organizations, and socially responsible corporations, the FLA has formed a unique and powerful alliance that is effecting positive change around the globe.
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Jasmine Schmidt, prAna, http://www.prAna.com, +1 (760) 566-1070, [email protected]
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