Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, Investors Alliance on Human Rights pen letter to Wendy’s CEO, Board Chair following study of Fair Food Program… Responsible investors: “Wendy’s must join the (Fair Food) program as soon as possible”… An FFSC auditor speaks with a tomato harvester on a Fair Food Program farm. Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, Investors Alliance on Human Rights pen powerful letter to Wendy’s CEO, Board Chair following visit to Immokalee to meet with CIW, study Fair Food Program… “We recognize that Wendy’s has its own Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Supplier Code of Conduct, and related programs in place. However, this is not enough… In the absence of a meaningful worker-driven model, it is impossible for Wendy’s to know that its policies are working to achieve the company’s stated goals and maintain compliance with legal and human rights expectations.” In early January, socially responsible investors and advisors traveled to Immokalee to study how the Worker-driven Social Responsibility paradigm pioneered in the Fair Food Program has achieved such unparalleled advances in human rights for farmworkers and matchless risk prevention for retail food corporations. Organized by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR was an early endorser of WSR Principles) and its Investor Alliance for Human Rights, the delegation brought some of the nation’s most respected socially responsible funds and advisors together to witness the Fair Food Program in action. Over the course of three days, the delegation learned how a vital new approach to protecting fundamental human rights in corporate supply chains — built by the rights holders themselves — emerged from a decades-long struggle led by farmworkers living and working in one of the poorest communities in the U.S. They met with Judge Laura Safer Espinoza and staff from the Fair Food Standards Council to examine how the Council’s deep audits and rapid investigation and resolution of complaints set a new gold standard for human rights compliance. And with increased investor attention on the imperative to end forced labor and sexual violence in supply chains, the delegation heard from leaders of the CIW’s anti-slavery efforts about how those hideous abuses were eradicated to the point of prevention by the Program. Following their visit, the delegation penned two eloquent dispatches describing the urgent lessons learned during their time in Immokalee: one a post on the ICCR website; the other a letter to Wendy’s CEO Todd Penegor and Board Chair Nelson Peltz, urging Wendy’s to join the Fair Food Program and requesting a meeting to discuss their findings in person. Here below are excerpts from those two pieces, first from the post describing their visit, and second from the letter to Wendy’s. ICCR blog post: In January 2020, members and staff of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and the Investor Alliance for Human Rights visited Immokalee, Florida to meet with and learn from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) about their Fair Food Program (FFP), established in 2011. Fourteen companies – including Burger King, McDonald’s, Whole Foods, and Walmart – have now signed onto the FFP and its legally binding commitments. ICCR and the Investor Alliance work closely with civil society groups to ensure that investors’ corporate engagement strategies are accountable to impacted people and communities. This visit helped bring this commitment into action by modeling a meaningful approach for investors to take in engaging with rights-holders. The delegation met with CIW and FFP staff, growers, and farmworkers to hear about their experiences with the program, the benefits it provides, and how it has transformed the lives of farmworkers, their families, and their communities. Investors have a long history of engaging with companies on respect for human rights and responsible supply chains. Throughout this history, it has been clear that a ‘top-down’ corporate auditing approach has not sufficiently improved working conditions in fields and factories producing for large brands and retailers. The FFP is transformational because workers are at the center. They are the principal architects of the program, with their experiences as the frontline monitors of their own rights—backed up by the possibility of binding and enforceable market consequences at the end of the supply chain if those rights are violated—driving change in basic working conditions and the establishment of an environment where they are treated with dignity and respect… (read more) Investors’ letter to Wendy’s: Mr. Nelson Peltz Chairman of Wendy’s Corporation Trian Partners 280 Park Ave New York, NY 10017 Dear Mr. Peltz, The undersigned investors, many of whom are or represent Wendy’s shareholders, have recently participated in a delegation visit to Immokalee, Florida and are now writing to urge Wendy’s to join the Fair Food Program (FFP). As we witnessed throughout our visit, the FFP has transformed the lives of farmworkers, their families, and their communities. It is successful and accountable because it is driven by worker-led solutions, and it provides certainty that workers are protected from abuse, violations of law, and the violation of their human rights. If abuse does take place, there is a proven and effective accountability and remediation process embedded in the FFP. We recognize that Wendy’s has its own Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Supplier Code of Conduct, and related programs in place. However, this is not enough. The role of workers in developing the FFP’s specific Code of Conduct and in monitoring and implementing that Code is unique, and this role has been identified as the primary factor that makes this model effective. In the absence of a meaningful worker-driven model, it is impossible for Wendy’s to know that its policies are working to achieve the company’s stated goals and maintain compliance with legal and human rights expectations. The FFP includes a dedicated team of experts through the Fair Food Standards Council that audits the FFP’s Code and maintains a 24/7 grievance hotline. Through on-site investigations, interviews with workers, and corrective action plans, an impressive 52% of complaints are resolved within 2 weeks and 79% within a month... Check out both letters in their entirety over at the CIW website! Coalition of Immokalee Workers (239) 657 8311 | [email protected] | www.ciw-online.org Connect with us ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Coalition of Immokalee Workers | 110 S 2nd St, Immokalee, FL 34142 Unsubscribe [email protected] About Constant Contact Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!