Living Wage Commitment
Assembly Label recognises that payment of a living wage is fundamental to protecting workers’ rights and enabling a decent standard of living for workers and their families. Currently, 80% of our Tier 1 factories and 75% of our audited Tier 2 factories pay above the minimum wage, and wages paid at our supplier facilities are all compliant with local minimum wage laws. However, we acknowledge that they do not yet meet the living wage benchmark.
Assembly Label has adopted the Anker Living Wage methodology to assess living wages across our supply chain. Living wage benchmarks are calculated at a regional level and compared annually against the lowest wages paid at our Tier 1 and 2 production facilities. This information is tracked internally and used to inform supplier engagement, risk management, and purchasing decisions.
Achieving living wages is complex and cannot be delivered by brands acting alone. Wages are shaped by national wage setting mechanisms, factory cost structures, productivity, order volumes and the actions of multiple brands operating at the same facility. As apparel brands do not directly employ factory workers, living wages cannot be achieved through unilateral commitments. Assembly Label therefore focuses on responsible purchasing practices, long-term supplier relationships, and collaborative approaches to support wage progression over time.
Our approach prioritises:
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Responsible purchasing practices, including realistic lead times, stable supplier relationships and fair pricing;
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Supplier engagement, with living wage discussions integrated into audits, corrective action plans and ongoing dialogue;
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Transparency and assessment, through ongoing living wage benchmarking and monitoring; and
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Collaboration and learning, recognising that systemic wage improvements require collective action.
In the short term, Assembly Label commits to maintaining living wage benchmarking across all Tier 1 and 2 facilities, and embedding living wage considerations into supplier scorecards and purchasing decisions.
Assembly Label is committed to continuing our partnerships with factories in China, where wages are markedly higher than in other countries with similar industry, such as Bangladesh and Vietnam.
Assembly Label will review and report on progress annually through our ethical and sustainability disclosures. We remain committed to continuous improvement and to working collaboratively with suppliers and industry partners to support fairer wage outcomes across our supply chain.