Factory audit

GAP (Golf America Products) is one of the largest clothing companies in the United States. When it was founded in 1969, it had only a few employees. Now, it has five brands (GAP, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, and Athleta - a once-popular budget fashion brand that was associated with many celebrities, such as Sharon Stone wearing it to attend the Oscars ceremony; and another reason that made this brand so famous was Lewinsky, that famous blue dress, which was also from GAP). 

GAP Factory Inspection Principles 

1. General Principles 

The factories that produce GAP products should comply with all relevant laws and regulations of the countries where they are located. 

A) The factory must comply with all relevant laws, regulations and statutes, including labor laws, worker health and safety laws, and environmental protection laws, etc. 

B) Whether with prior notice or without prior notice, the factory shall permit Gap and its representatives or agents to enter its production facilities without any restrictions, and Gap and its representatives or agents shall be able to review all relevant records. 

2. Environment 

The factory must comply with all relevant environmental laws and regulations. If the requirements of local laws and regulations are less stringent than those of GAP, it is encouraged for the factory to meet the provisions of this code. 

A) The factory should establish an environmental management system or plan. 

B) The factory should establish an effective mechanism to ensure that it can notify the local government authorities in case of any accidental emissions, leaks or any other environmental emergencies. 

3. Discrimination 

The factory should base its hiring decisions on an individual's work ability rather than on their personal characteristics or beliefs. 

During the recruitment process, one must not set any criteria for employment based on race, skin color, gender, nationality, age, pregnancy or marital status. 

B) Wages and benefits must not be discriminated against based on race, color, gender, nationality, age, pregnancy or marital status. 

4. Forced Labor 

Factories must not employ any form of prison laborers, contract workers or forced laborers. 

A) The factory does not employ any form of involuntary labor, including prison laborers, debt workers, or government-forcibly employed workers. 

B) If foreign workers are recruited, the factory should pay a commission to the intermediary and must not force the workers to stay at the factory against their will. 

5. Child Labor 

The workers employed by the factory must reach the local minimum legal working age or be at least 14 years old (whichever is the higher age). The factory must comply with other relevant legal provisions. On the premise of meeting the minimum working age requirement of GAP Company and the legal working age in the country, GAP Company encourages the factory to offer a legal apprenticeship program to provide educational opportunities for the workers. 

A) The age of each worker must be over 14 years old and comply with the minimum working age requirements of the respective country. 

B) The factory must comply with all legal requirements regarding child labor, including those related to employment, wages, working hours, overtime, and working conditions. 

C) The factory encourages and permits eligible workers (especially young workers) to participate in evening school education, the part-time work and study program, as well as government-funded educational programs. 

D) The factory must retain the official documents of each worker to verify the worker's age at birth. If the country does not have official identity documents, the factory should determine the worker's age using appropriate and reliable methods. 

6. Salary and Working Hours 

The working hours, wages and overtime pay stipulated by the factory should comply with the requirements of relevant laws. The wages of workers should be paid at least at the local minimum wage standard or the local industry standard (with the higher one being applied). Although overtime is inevitable in the clothing industry, during the operation of the factory, different methods should be adopted to reduce the overtime hours in order to ensure a humane and efficient working environment. 

A) The wages of the workers should be paid at least at the local minimum wage rate or the industry standard rate (with the higher rate being applied). 

B) The overtime pay rate and performance bonuses paid by the factory to its workers must comply with the local laws or the industry standards in the area (with the higher one being the reference). The overtime pay rate must be higher than the hourly wage for regular working hours. 

C) Factories must not frequently require workers to work more than 60 hours per week. 

D) Workers have the right to refuse overtime work. They shall not be fined, punished or dismissed for doing so. 

E) Workers are entitled to at least one day off every seven days. 

F) The factory should provide workers with paid annual leave and holidays in accordance with local laws or industry standards. 

G) During each wage payment cycle, the factory must provide workers with an easily understandable wage statement, including the number of working days, daily wage or daily piece-rate wage, overtime hours at different rates, bonuses, allowances, and any deductions that are legal or stipulated in the contract.