WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — December 2, 2010 — Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE: HBI) announced today that the
company’s global social compliance program has been accredited by the Fair Labor Association, a
workers’ rights group based in Washington, D.C.
“Hanesbrands is a leader in providing workers with a safe, clean and productive work
environment and strictly enforces its global code of conduct for company-owned and supplier
production facilities,” said Hanesbrands Chief Executive Officer Richard A. Noll. “We sought FLA
affiliation and accreditation because we share the organization’s commitment to high labor
standards, and we look forward to continued productive collaboration to provide leadership in the
apparel industry.”
The Fair Labor Association works with industry, civil society organizations and colleges and
universities to protect workers’ rights and improve working conditions in factories around the
world.
After a review process of nearly two years, FLA accredited the social compliance programs of
Hanesbrands and Gear For Sports, Inc., now owned by Hanesbrands.
“The FLA is pleased to have Hanesbrands as an accredited affiliated company dedicated to
protecting workers’ rights and to meeting and exceeding international labor standards,” said FLA
President and CEO Auret van Heerden. “We appreciate the company’s commitment to fair labor
standards.”
To earn accreditation, FLA member companies are required to fulfill 10 company obligations,
including conducting internal monitoring of facilities, submitting to unannounced independent
monitoring audits and verification of company and supplier plants, and managing and reporting
information on their compliance efforts.
Hanesbrands has a formal corporate social responsibility program that consists of five
initiatives: a global compliance and ethics program for all employees; a facility compliance
program that seeks to ensure company and supplier plants meet Hanesbrands’ labor and social
compliance standards; a global environmental management system that seeks to reduce the
environmental impact of operations; a product safety program; and a commitment to corporate
philanthropy assisting the communities where the company does business to provide access to life’s
basic necessities.
As You Sow Report and Newsweek Green Rankings
Hanesbrands scored among the best in the apparel industry for global supply chain compliance
programs in an independent study conducted by As You Sow, a corporate social responsibility
advocate. The San Francisco-based group’s report, “Toward a Safe, Just Workplace: Apparel Supply
Chain Compliance Programs,” was published in November and gave Hanesbrands’ code-of-conduct
compliance program a letter grade of B, the third-highest grade of apparel companies studied.
In the report, Hanesbrands was noted for having 100 percent of its compliance audits
conducted unannounced and for having initial and annual audits verified independently. The full
report may be read on the As You Sow website,
www.asyousow.org.
In Newsweek magazine’s 2010-11 green rankings, Hanesbrands ranks No. 91 on the list of 500
greenest companies. The company has goals for use of renewable energy, carbon emission reductions,
and reduced water use. Hanesbrands earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star
Partner of the Year award in 2010.
“We have been a quiet leader in social and environmental responsibility for several decades,”
said Chris Fox, Hanesbrands’ vice president of corporate social responsibility. “We are making a
difference, but we know that there is more to be done. We look forward to working together with
groups such as the FLA, As You Sow and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enhance our
leadership in these areas.”
Hanesbrands has detailed information on its environmental and social programs available on
its Corporate Social Responsibility website,
www.hanesbrandsCSR.com. The site is also accessible
through Hanesbrands corporate website,
www.hanesbrands.com.
Posted on December 14, 2010
Source: Hanesbrands Inc.
