SLCP (Social & Labor Convergence Program) officially separated from SAC (Sustainable Apparel Coalition), a global, non-profit alliance of over 300 organizations in the apparel, footwear, and textile industry, on February 1, 2024. Its new legal entity is a Dutch non-profit foundation known as a ‘stichting’. Launched by SAC in 2015, SLCP’s continued aim is to reduce audit fatigue and improve working conditions in the apparel industry.
Over eight years, SLCP has grown significantly, gathering more than 250 signatories and implementing the Converged Assessment Framework (CAF) in over 60 countries. In September 2023, SLCP signatories voted in favour of SLCP’s five-year Strategy, which included the plan to transition to an independent organization. That same month, the SAC Board also approved the plans for separation.
The close cooperation has continued between SAC and SLCP
Both SAC and SLCP reaffirm their commitment to a closely-knit strategic collaboration, aligning their tools and strategies for a shared vision of improved global working conditions. The SAC is steadfast in supporting and incorporating the CAF as the preferred social compliance assessment framework for its Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM) tool.
“As both organizations navigate this exciting new phase, our commitment to shared goals and values is greater than ever and propels us toward catalyzing collective action at scale,” said Andrew Martin, SAC Executive Vice President. Martin continued: “Leaders stand out by their ethics, integrity, accountability, and responsibility. It is no longer enough to deliver value to shareholders without lasting positive human impact and societal change. We believe our collaborative efforts will continue to uphold safe, respectful working conditions and establish new benchmarks for sustainability and social responsibility.”
Janet Mensink, SLCP Chief Executive Officer disclosed that they are excited to be moving forward with the next stage of SLCP’s evolution, building on the strong foundation and the impact they have already achieved with SAC, their signatories, and partners. Saying that their collaboration with SAC is a testament to the power of industry-wide cooperation, he disclosed: “Through the adoption of the CAF and the Higg FSLM, we are able to create a more streamlined approach to social compliance assessments and reallocate resources to fulfill our shared ambition of improving working conditions.”
