Ottawa No Sweat Coalition

Proposed
City of Ottawa
Ethical Procurement Resolution

WHEREAS environmentally and ethically unsustainable practices continue to spread throughout the global supply/purchase network;

AND WHEREAS environmentally and ethically unsustainable practices undermine international environmental sustainability initiatives and human rights standards and foster the abuse of workers in many sectors of the production and supply sector, including apparel, agricultural products and related items;

AND WHEREAS the spread of sweatshop practices in the apparel and related industries threatens the jobs and working conditions of all manufacturing workers in the City of Ottawa;

AND WHEREAS the City of Ottawa, and its Agencies, Boards and Commissions, purchases large volumes of uniforms, footwear, clothing bearing the City of Ottawa logo, coffee, tea and sugar.

AND WHEREAS Ottawa is a community that does not tolerate child labour, forced labour, discrimination, and/or abuse of workers in any form;

AND WHEREAS, the citizens of Ottawa have a right to expect that their city's procurement policies are consistent with their community values and that purchasing dollars are allocated in order to enhance, rather than degrade, the economic and social well being of the City;

AND WHEREAS the City of Ottawa is committed to being a force for positive social change by purchasing goods and services from responsible manufacturers that provide quality products and services at a competitive price and abide by ethical standards and norms;

AND WHEREAS sweatshop abuses flourish when the conditions of workers are hidden and municipal purchasing authorities must verify the conditions under which goods have been produced;

AND WHEREAS pressure from institutional purchasers such as governments is an effective way to combat environmentally and ethically unsustainable practices and also protect the rights of workers both locally and internationally;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council commits to developing a comprehensive Sustainable Environmental and Ethical Procurement Policy for Council's review and approval by the end of June 2006;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Ottawa, and its Agencies, Boards and Commissions, requires all suppliers of apparel, agricultural products and other textile goods to provide the names, addresses and contact information of each subcontractor and manufacturing facility used in their manufacture. This information shall be considered public information.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council hereby declares its intention that the Administration work with the Ottawa and District Labour Council and the public including community-based non-governmental organizations, such as the Ottawa No Sweat Coalition, in the development of the aforesaid Sustainable Environmental and Ethical Procurement Policy to ensure that items – including but not limited to garments, coffee and related items purchased by the City of Ottawa – are manufactured or produced in accordance with established local and international environmental standards and applicable codes of conduct regarding wages, working conditions, safety, forced labour and freedom of association as embodied in United Nations Declarations of Human Rights, International Labour Organization Conventions and other relevant Declarations and Conventions.

Contents:

Links: