Social Responsibility

GW joined the Workers Rights Consortium in 2008 following efforts by students raising awareness of worker safety in the garment industry and the ability that universities have to influence manufacturer’s actions and change the outcomes for the better.

The University’s goal is to ensure that apparel bearing GW’s marks be manufactured in a socially and ethically responsible manner. In 2014, GW started requiring all existing and new licensees that source, produce or purchase GW-branded apparel and merchandise from Bangladesh sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh.

The university contracts with Follett Higher Education Group (“Follett”), to manage and operate its campus store. Follett maintains a longstanding commitment to purchase products only from vendors and manufacturers who maintain the highest ethical labor standards for their employees and has created its Vendor Code of Conduct as a means of enforcing its commitment.  Follett has had a strong partnership with the Fair Labor Association since 2008 and encourages all vendors to join the FLA.

Additionally, the university works with its licensing agency, Exemplar Associates, to ensure that all licensees operate under the labor code of conduct that is stated in our licensee agreements with our more than 95 vendors licensed with the university through Exemplar Associates. 

The university will continue its efforts in partnership with the Worker Rights Consortium, Follett, and Exemplar Associates to help ensure that GW-branded apparel is manufactured with worker safety and worker rights at the forefront.