With immediate effect, German testing institute for shoes and leather products PFI will start certifying the social standards of shoe factories around the world.

Facing globalisation many companies have moved their production to foreign countries, mainly to third world countries, or are now placing orders with OEM manufactures in these countries. The reason for this behaviour is the comparable low wage level, however, the working conditions suffered by many workers are often ignored in these countries and child labour, forced labour and extensive working days are common.

In the past many employers followed an internal code of conduct, demonstrating their accountability towards their workers and these companies are now able to obtain an independent certification of their production conditions. A big advantage of the certification by PFI is the fact that an independent third party conducts the audit, adding objectivity to the certifying process.

The PFI label Certified Production” provides employers with the opportunity to protect and strengthen products and brand image.

European companies should have a platform to communicate their performed accountability towards their workers. The PFI label offers this platform and I think the response on it will be very positive,” Gerhard Schäuble, the auditor in charge declared.

Important aspects for certification are the ostracism of child and forced labour and any kind of discrimination such as race religion and gender. In a detailed questionnaire, companies have to state how they treat their employees and what procedure they implemented to prevent inhuman conditions. This declaration will be checked by interviews with workers.