10 things to celebrate & anticipate at ETI

1. ETI Member Days – In 2023 we convened over 150 trade union, NGO, and company members and partners in-person for the first time in four years. We look forward to reuniting for Member Day 2024, on 16 May, where we’ll be tackling the big issues together – legislation, crisis, and climate change. 

2. Advancing public transparency – With year two now complete, we are delighted to see ETI company members successfully submitting against the ETI Corporate Transparency Framework, engaging with ETI’s feedback and guidance, and improving their public reporting against our requirements. 

3. Advocating for effective mHRDD – Collaborating with partners across civil society, trade unions, and business, ETI has spent much of 2023 influencing the trialogue on the EU’s Corporate Due Diligence Directive, culminating in December's political agreement. As the Human Rights and Environment Bill makes its way through the House of Lords, ETI will be advocating for effective mandatory human rights due diligence in the UK too. 

“I'm really looking forward to being involved in the group sessions to be able to interact with others and hear new ideas of how to approach progression.”ETI company member 

4. Progressing together – Responding to member feedback, 2023 saw the development of ETI’s Group progression approach. Launching this month, our new approach focuses on peer-to-peer learning through regular group sessions where company members can advance together. 

5. Responding to crises – 2023 witnessed both new and ongoing crises. As the conflict in Ukraine and coup in Myanmar continued, earthquakes hit Türkiye, Syria, and Morocco, with war erupting between Israel and Hamas. When crises have impacted company member supply chains ETI has been on hand with guidance, support, and steer, informed and strengthen by NGO and trade union member insights. We’ll continue to do so in 2024. 

6. Understanding gender – Data continued to inform our understanding of gender supply chain risks in 2023; from integrating our Gender Data Initiative indicators into Sedex’s SAQ, to working with the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and suppliers on systems to enable the collection of gender-disaggregated data. This work continues into 2024, as we guide company members to use data to conduct gender-responsive HRDD and kick off new initiatives tackling the prevalence of gender-based violence in global supply chains. 

7. Collaborating on purchasing practices – In the apparel and textile sector we brought stakeholders together via the Learning and implementation community, supporting companies to progress on equal partnership, collaborative planning, fair payment terms, and integrating responsible purchasing practices into the heart of their business. We also kickstarted workshops for general merchandise, and food, fishing, and farming members. In 2024 we plan to scale up engagement in all sectors through collective learning workshops and multi-stakeholder roundtables. 

“100% of participants would recommend ETI’s human rights essentials course.” Inherently Human 

8. Driving worker-led climate action - Our Green Social Dialogue Initiative, in partnership with ETI Norway and NORAD, started in 2023. By leveraging existing dialogue between employers, workers, and their representatives to tackle environmental issues, this initiative is already working to address climate risks through social dialogue mechanisms and will continue into 2024. 

9. Delivering training – After a successful relaunch in 2023, ETI's Human rights essentials training returns for another year facilitated by Inherently Human. Our training courses help you put human rights at the heart of your work. Anyone can attend our courses, or have bespoke sessions tailored to your business needs. Find out course details and how to book. 

10. Growing ETI – Last year was a big one for recruitment. Our Secretariat was joined by seven new staff members, and our membership grew by four new company members. In 2024, we will bid farewell to Peter McAllister after 13 years, and welcome a new Executive Director. It is shaping up to be an even richer year, with a full complement of staff and a growing community of members, we’re excited to continue collaborating, innovating, and driving impact for workers. 

Reflecting on the year and his upcoming departure, Peter had this to say: 

"It’s been an honour and a privilege to serve at ETI all these years. At the end of every year, I’m struck by how much we are able to achieve together as trade unions, NGOs and companies. 13 years on, my belief in the power of our tripartite remains unwavering. While many challenges remain, I know ETI members are better prepared to tackle them united in our common mission.” 

We’re excited for all that lies in store for 2024. If you’re considering ETI membership, or have any questions about our work, get in touch: membership@eti.org.uk