Why the Consortium is Good for Business

Problem: Cut-Throat Market

Name a product and a price and I can beat it. With no real regulation, the garment business is as cut-throat as it gets.

Solution: Better regulation will help reign in the worst of the low-bidders. The Consortium will ensure that rules are enforced consistently across the board, creating an even playing field for all bidders. Nobody will be able to undercut anyone else with sweatshop products.

Problem: Time, Effort, Accuracy

Implementation of most sweatfree procurement policies depend on the information provided by bidders. Vendors have to collect all the information, often spending inordinate time on the phone and waiting for information. That's an expense with risk.

Solution: When states and local governments form a consortium, they will be able to gather information about working conditions at supplier factories through a professional and independent human rights monitor. Vendors will have easy access to a reliable and up-to-date information clearinghouse showing where they can get sweatfree products, and which manufacturers may be off limits for sweatfree bids.

Problem: Different Standards in Different Locales

When each locality has its own sweatfree policy and seeks to enforce it on its own, a vendor has to keep on top of multiple rules and regulations to bid to different locales.

Solution: The Consortium will work towards uniform sweatfree standards and requirements. Uniform standards will help businesses expand by using a single set of information to comfortably bid on jobs to any and all consortium members.

Problem: Suppliers Go Out of Business

Factories may be in business one day, and not the next day. That compounds the problem of finding sweatfree sources.

Solution: The Consortium will help to concentrate sourcing from a limited field of factories, each of which receives substantial stable orders in return for maintaining sweatfree conditions. That means vendors can worry less about product supply and concentrate more on the business front end.