Can you confirm whether the facility linked to the allegation is within or has recently been within your supply chain?

Star Knitwear Group is Fairtrade certified cotton trader, which means they must adhere to the Fairtrade TraderStandard. It is important to note that Fairtrade is a certification scheme and not a company buying directly from Star Knitwear Group.

How are you ensuring that your purchasing practices in relation to Star Knitwear Group and the dismissal of 240 workers at the factory, reportedly due to issues including a reduction in orders, meet the standard required to protect workers rights and livelihoods?

As long as the layoffs were in line with Mauritius’ local law, this is not something that FLOCERT, Fairtrade’s independent certifier, can sanction. As a Fairtrade certified trader, Star Knitwear Group must adhere to and comply with local labour law regarding worker’s rights and working conditions. This also includes ensuring that workers receive the severance pay due to them. FLOCERT checks compliance with the Fairtrade Standards in its audits.

We request more information on the allegation, including what your company has done to investigate it and ensure remedy for workers?

For FLOCERT to investigate an allegation, it needs to be tied to a breach of the Fairtrade Trader Standard requirements. It is not clear at this stage that this is case. From the information we currently have, Star Knitwear Group faced a difficult economic situation and needed to cut costs. As mentioned above, if your organisation or any other party has justified concerns that a Fairtrade-certified organisation does not follow the rules laid down by the Fairtrade Standards, and additional information regarding the situation, they can raise an allegation with FLOCERT at this link: https://www.flocert.net/submit-an-allegation-appeal-or-complaint/.