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Ethical Manufacture
Whatever It Takes is a licensing programme that raises funds for 21st Century Leaders through product partnerships, as part of the 21st Century Leaders mission to support charities and awareness for global development causes. Crucially, we do not wish this to be at the expense of those who make the products.
21st Century Leaders therefore requires all Whatever It Takes product suppliers to demonstrate that the manufacturers in their supply chains provide good working conditions to their workers. For 21st Century Leaders, this supply chain may include not just the main production sites but also the suppliers that make the packaging and other peripherals.
21st Century Leaders takes its core understanding of good labour standards from The International Labour Organisation and uses The Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code as a tool to assess working conditions.
In order to demonstrate good working conditions supplier factories may have to be independently assessed against the ETI Code and, where necessary, 21st Century Leaders works together with partner suppliers and their manufacturers to improve working conditions through a programme of corrective actions and training.
21st Century Leaders recognises that trading ethically and responsibly so that all in the supply chain benefit is not just a matter of a one-off assessment but of continuous engagement and we work with partner suppliers, manufacturers,independent social verifiers and other stakeholders to this end.
Whatever It Takes is just one project. We hope that we can raise awareness about responsible trade amongst consumers, retailers and suppliers alike so that we can all work together towards a new model of trading: one that includes production conditions as much as price and quality: so that all benefit.
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