"The industry should now come together and make a strong commitment against child labor and the trafficking of children for forced labor in their entire chain of supply and sourcing. This should not only be in words but in a clear and concrete plan of action."
- Bhuwan Ribhu, The Global March Against Child Labor

November 5, 2007 —

In the wake of one of the most damaging child labor scandals [5] of the past few years, The Observer is reporting that Gap Inc is looking into a new measure that would be the first of its kind in the retail clothing industry.

On Oct. 28, 2007, the Guardian Unlimited reported:

Despite Gap's rigorous social audit systems launched in 2004 to weed out child labour in its production processes, the system is being abused by unscrupulous subcontractors. The result is that children, in this case working in conditions close to slavery, appear to still be making some of its clothes.

After the incident, representatives from Gap flew to New Delhi to consult with the Global March Against Child Labor about possible methods for certifying all Gap clothing as "child labor free." One of the proposals being considered would allow consumers to track down every link in the manufacturing chain of each garment.

What would be the signifance of such a system? Most importantly, the Gap would be legally liable if the company's contractors were found to use child labor or to operate in slave-like conditions in the future. Although the company already pledges to have a commitment to keeping its business free of child labor, legal liability takes the obligation to a higher level. It's much more likely to ensure that Gap takes every possible oversight measure to protect the company's reputation and bottom line.