Question to the board of ASOS
AGM date: 11th January 2023
Venue: Greater London House, Hampstead Road, London NW1 7FB
Time: 12.00
Question on living wages and long-term security for workers
In 2021, ASOS announced the launch of its 2030 Programme for Fashion with Integrity, which included commitments to net zero, circularity diversity and transparency. We understand that progress towards these goals will be measured by a series of KPIs linked to the CEO performance and committee renumeration packages. We also note that ASOS has committed to developing a human rights saliency assessment this year in order to detail its concrete plans. While these commitments are welcomed, LBL is clear that paper commitments are meaningless without positive impacts in the real world, and indeed decades of such paper commitments have not resulted in real progress towards decent work and decent wages for garment workers globally.
Can you provide clear details of how this assessment will measure short, medium and long-term progress towards freedom of association in ASOS suppliers, the actual payment of a living wage by ASOS suppliers and the improvement of working conditions?
In particular, considering the statement by the new CEO that ASOS is focusing on a shorter buying cycle, a test and react sourcing model and optimising costs, can you outline how this will not in practice negatively impact ASOS’ commitment to long term relationships with suppliers, longer lead terms, improved forecasting and prices which clearly ringfence or cover wage costs which act as ‘key enablers’ ensuring progress towards a living wage?
For reference: https://www.asosplc.com/fashion-with-integrity/people/modern-slavery-and-human-rights/