Newsletter Issue 23 – February 2023
Welcome to the January issue of the Fast Forward Newsletter. In this month’s issue:
Fast Forward News
Fast Forward – Reminder of the links below to make the most of your benefits!
- SEP Supplier Training – new 2023 dates released (Supplier only event)
- 2023 Webinar: ‘Beyond Compliance’ Developing to Performing to Leading – BOOK NOW
- Dashboards now available for SEPs, Brands and Auditors! – Have you logged in?
- Self-paced modules for Core Standards – NOW IN VIDEO FORMAT
Industry and legislative news highlighted last month:
- OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector
- BEIS restructures into four departments
- Calculating holiday entitlement for part-year and irregular hours workers – Government consultation
If you would like to request any inclusions or have comments on this publication, or any other part of the programme, please do get in touch.
The Fast Forward Team
FAST FORWARD NEWS
Building fair and sustainable supply chains
Fast Forward recognises the important role we can play as a voluntary initiative in aiding businesses to prepare for upcoming legislation and to support both suppliers and buying companies to play their respective roles in building fair and sustainable supply chains. We have therefore undertaken a number of developments in the last two years to support this, and have further actions planned, as we seek to transition from an audit and improvement programme, to a truly collaborative sustainable supply chain programme. Read more here.
(SEP) Supplier Training
Supplier training sessions are now available to book on our website. The next available session is on 21 February.
This new 2.5 hour format is a Supplier only event and covers:
- Navigating your way around the newly launched Fast Forward SEP Dashboard
- Review of the newly launched self-paced Core Standard online training modules
- The step-by-step Audit Process and critical Management Systems approach
- The seven Core Standards and latest legislative updates
- Click here to find out more on what is covered!
All SEP subscribers are entitled to 1 free training place every 12 months.
If you have already attended training but wish to attend again as a refresher or would like for other colleagues from your business to attend, you may purchase additional tickets at the discounted rate of £95.00 + VAT.
2023 Webinar 1 – ‘Beyond Compliance’
28th February 11-12am
Suppliers (SEP), Brands and Auditors are all welcome to join Fast Forward on Tuesday 28th February at 11am for our first supplier webinar of 2023! Book your place and block your diary…you won’t want to miss this one!
In this session we will cover:
- ‘Beyond Compliance’ and share insights into how suppliers can progress from Developing to Performing to Leading
- Control Points anticipated to be introduced from August 1st 2023
If you would like to provide contributions or to apply to be a speaker get in contact.
Fast Forward website dashboards!
If you didn’t get a chance to review your new dashboard last month, here is your reminder! Log-in and watch the short video tour available to help navigate to all of your resources and benefits.
Self-paced Core Standards
NOW IN VIDEO FORMAT!
SEP Subscribers and Brand Members now have access to the new self-paced learning modules on the Fast Forward Core Standards, to support businesses to access guidance at convenient times, and Beyond Compliance guidelines to support businesses on their improvement journey from Developing to Performing to Leading status. Log-in to the new Dashboard and head to the tab ‘Core Standards’ to explore the new video format.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector – 16th and 17th February
This week is the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector. Sessions include:
- Closing living wage gaps in garment supply chains: from commitment to action
- Assessing due diligence implementation: reflecting a risk-based approach
- Due Diligence of circular value chains: addressing the risks associated with circular processes
- Greenwashing your clothes? Addressing unsubstantiated sustainability claims in the garment and footwear sector
- Worker engagement and the role of trade unions in due diligence
- Due diligence in conflict-affected and high-risk contexts: enhanced due diligence or responsible disengagement?
- Due diligence costs and responsibilities: collaborative approaches to buyer-supplier relationships
All Forum sessions will take place at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris and will be broadcasted live online. All Forum sessions will be recorded and available on replay after the Forum to registered participants who have activated their account.
Click here for the full agenda and to register.
BEIS restructures departments
The Prime Minister, with the approval of His Majesty The King, has created four new government departments, with the aim of ensuring “the whole of government is geared up to deliver for the British people”.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is to be broken up into four new departments; a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, tasked with driving innovation that will create new and better paid jobs; a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which will focus on securing long-term energy supplies and reducing bills; a Department for Business and Trade, which will champion free trade and promote investment; and a Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which will help develop the UK as a global leader in the creative arts. It is not yet known when the changes will take place.
Calculating holiday entitlement for part-year and irregular hours workers – UK Government consultation
The UK Government is consulting on the calculation of holiday entitlement received by part-year and irregular hours workers, following the recent Supreme Court judgment in Harpur Trust v Brazel. The proposal is to introduce a holiday entitlement reference period for part-year and irregular hours workers, to ensure that their holiday pay and entitlement is directly proportionate to the time they spend working. They also want to understand how entitlement is currently calculated for agency workers and how the consultation proposal might be implemented.
Just Good Work
Just Good Work is a free, interactive mobile app giving jobseekers and workers from the UK or abroad critical information and advice on recruitment and employment. The Fast Forward audit requires businesses to display the Just Good Work poster.
Posters are available to download for free in nine languages from the Fast Forward website: Albanian, Bulgarian, English, Croatian, Gujarati, Polish, Romanian, Serbian and Ukrainian.
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