Enforcing International Labor Rights through Corporate Codes of Conduct

Abstract

This article first reviews initiatives by the international community to address the "linkage" between trade and international labor rights and fair labor standards through domestic trade statutes, regional trade agreements and other governmental approaches. It then examines several private sector efforts embracing "codes of conduct" for labor and employment practices in international commerce. Some are proposed by sources external to multinational corporations as codes by which they can pledge to abide. Others are initiated by individual companies themselves. The authors focus their treatment on codes of conduct issued by Levi Strauss &. Co. and Reebok Corporation as examples of the challenges in formulating, auditing and enforcing labor rights and labor standards by private corporations engaged in international trade.