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Our Approach: The Government Level — Country Assessment, Trade/Labor Policy and Advocacy

Country Assessment:

An important component of Levi Strauss & Co.’s (LS&CO.) Global Sourcing and Operating Guidelines is the Country Assessment Guidelines. LS&CO. conducts thorough assessments of all countries where we have or are considering placing production. Country assessments help us to determine potential risks and assist in making responsible sourcing decisions.

Trade/Labor Policy and Advocacy:

LS&CO. has a long and proud history of commitment to fair employment practices, policies and laws. This commitment has become even more important in recent years as we increasingly source our products from around the world.

As part of our responsible sourcing program, we work closely with governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), industry associations and other stakeholders to secure basic rights for workers worldwide.

We firmly believe that labor provisions — including key workplace standards and worker rights provisions, with effective enforcement measures — should be an integral part of all bilateral, regional or multilateral trade negotiations in order to protect worker rights in an environment of increasing globalization. We are a leader in publicly and effectively advocating this position.

• LS&CO. leveraged its trade relationship to encourage the government in Guatemala to pass more stringent labor laws consistent with International Labor Organization standards.
• When TOE violations were discovered in Mauritius, arising from discrimination against migrant workers, LS&CO. intervened with the Mauritian government and advocated for change. The government created a cabinet-level committee to examine labor conditions for migrant workers and ultimately strengthened local labor laws.
• During the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) congressional debates of 2001, LS&CO. was the only company to advocate for the inclusion of provisions protecting labor rights. Labor protection language was ultimately included in the TPA negotiating objectives.

We are resolute in our commitment that future trade agreements must include strong language on labor protection at their core. These protections should include effective measures and processes to ensure compliance — including recourse under World Trade Organization dispute settlement proceedings if necessary — to enforce them.

For more information on LS&CO.’s work in the area of trade and labor policy, contact: Helga Ying, Director, Worldwide Government Affairs and Trade Policy at hying@levi.com.