OREANDA-NEWS. The Fast Retailing Group has been mentioned in a report by Human Rights Now, an international NGO, claiming issues with working conditions at garment factories in Cambodia. Fast Retailing confirms that its Group brand UNIQLO maintains a contractual relationship with Zhong Yin (Cambodia) B Textile Co., Ltd., one of the factories included in the report. Although also mentioned in the report, Fast Retailing Group brand GU does not have a contractual relationship with Full Fortune Knitting Ltd. or ECO Base Factory Ltd., but does with a factory belonging to the same group, and Fast Retailing is currently checking the details.

At the same time, Fast Retailing has begun an inspection of working conditions at Zhong Yin (Cambodia) B Textile Co., Ltd., and if any problem is found, will urge the factory to initiate improvements and help the factory to implement them as soon as possible.

Respecting human rights and ensuring fair working conditions are top priorities for Fast Retailing. The company first established its Code of Conduct for Production Partners in 2004, and since has regularly monitored working conditions at all of its production partners, including new partners. From January 2015, Fast Retailing enhanced its workplace monitoring further, and from February conducted a workplace monitoring pilot program at the suppliers that provide textiles to its production partners. It will complete monitoring all of these textile suppliers by the end of March 2016. From April 2015, Fast Retailing will also introduce impromptu, unannounced monitoring at all garment factories currently engaged with UNIQLO, as well as major garment factories working with GU.