Ethical and responsible trade has always been central to the Finisterre ethos. We have an unerring commitment to human rights and the welfare of people who make our products. We remain determined to ensure that inhumane and illegal practices such as child labour, human trafficking, forced/bond labour, or unsafe working conditions, have no place in our core business or wider supply chain network. 

After years of working together, in 2022 we formalised our partnership with Fair Working Conditions (FWC), cementing our commitment to ethical and responsible trading. FWC are Irish-based Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) specialists with almost two decades of experience working alongside major retailers and brands in over fifty countries worldwide.  Working across a broad range of industries, FWC maintains a steadfast approach to supporting clients, suppliers, and employees on the path to sustainable improvement. Their track record is one of on-the-ground delivery, supplier engagement, factory worker input, practical corrective action, and tailored training. 

The cornerstones of Finisterre’s Supplier Code of Conduct align with the standards set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UN Declaration of Human Rights. We implement these through a combination of Finisterre values and FWC field experience, considering the individual geopolitical, demographic, and socioeconomic challenges of each country. Together with FWC, we have developed a pragmatic program to drive best practices throughout our sourcing and procurement network in a hands-on and transparent manner.

In 2024, we deepened our partnership with Fair Working Conditions (FWC), expanding social welfare audits across our Tier 1 suppliers and identifying key areas of risk. We also carried out in-depth real living wage assessments with suppliers in Türkiye and China, laying important groundwork for future progress. These assessments highlighted the impact of high inflation in Türkiye, the proactive steps some suppliers are already taking to support fair pay, and where we can collaborate to move closer to living wage benchmarks in the year ahead. Defining what a living wage means in each local context remains a critical part of this work. We’ll continue to monitor progress and address risks as part of our ongoing commitment to improving working conditions throughout our supply chain.

We know that good journeys can’t be rushed. The global apparel industry is responsible for over 6 million tonnes of carbon a year from transport alone,* with brands typically air freighting products around the world.

We choose to transport products by land and sea, using less carbon-intensive journeys and avoidingair freight wherever possible. Less than 1% of our finished goods from our supply chain partners were air freighted in 2023 (down from 5% in 2020). Read more in our 2023 Impact Report.

Although ocean freight is less carbon intensive than flying, we will continue to work with our freight partners, Flexport, to reduce it and protect marine habitats.

*Source: McKinseyFashion on Climate