Half-solution on sweatshops

Penn has made a start on the sweatshop issue. Now the University must act on the rest of its responsibility. Penn took an important step on Tuesday toward ensuring that none of the University's logo apparel is produced in sweatshops. By joining the Fair Labor Association, together with seven Ivies and an additional nine schools, Penn has committed to demanding that its licensees do not use sweatshop labor. First, Penn must do more to ensure that companies licensed to make logo gear do not break the rules behind the FLA's collective back. At present, only four human rights organizations participate in the FLA. To ensure that other groups are able to monitor labor practices at licensed companies, Penn must require companies to release the location of every factory producing Penn apparel. After a one-year implementation period, Penn should commit to ending its relationship with any non-compliant company. The suggestion has already been adopted by Brown and Princeton universities, among others. For Penn to do so would be a clear and appropriate demonstration of its commitment to being socially responsible. But such a commitment does not extend merely to those products bearing Penn logos. Unfortunately, the FLA allows members to merely demand that their own logo apparel is not produced in sweatshops, leaving licensed companies free to produce other products with sweatshop labor. It would be highly unfortunate if Penn failed to seize the opportunity by mandating that licensees do not utilize sweatshops in any capacity. In implementing both of these policies, we encourage Penn to work with peer institutions to develop uniform standards. Such a group would exert greater leverage with the apparel companies, an important consideration. However, irrespective of the positions adopted by other universities, Penn must ultimately act, unilaterally if necessary, to institute such standards. Nor is this an issue best left to the amorphous future. We encourage the University to simultaneously implement the FLA standards and those proposed above. Anything less would be only a partial victory for human dignity.