But we have come a long way since then. Now there are Clean Clothes Campaigns in ten Western European countries. And now it's more difficult to find retailers here who denounce this responsibility. Campaigners are regularly in touch with organizations in a variety of countries, including those where garments are produced, and in this way work together as a network to draw attention to labour rights issues in the garment industry. The Clean Clothes Campaigns in each country are coalitions of consumer organisations, trade unions, human rights and women rights organisations, researchers, solidarity groups and activists.
Every national campaign operates autonomously.
However, we do work together towards international action. Since the main demand of the Clean Clothes Campaign is that retailers live up to their responsibility to ensure that garments are produced in decent conditions, it's important to be clear about how we define good working conditions. Early on our partners from all over the world raised the need for a common code to campaign around. We believe that direct reference to ILO standards is a crucial element of our code. Because these standards are the result of an international consultation process, and therefore internationally-accepted standards with agreed upon wording, the possibilities for misinterpretation are limited.