Binding Agreements: Brand Support Agreements

Within the ACT approach, Binding Brand Agreements complement collective bargaining agreements.

While collective bargaining agreements are legally binding on employers and unions and enforceable under national law, Binding Brand Agreements ensure accountability, build trust, and integrate brand support into a supply chain industrial relations framework. These agreements are being established as a mechanism to specify and implement Country Support Commitments in countries where collective bargaining agreements are negotiated.

Legally binding agreements between brands and IndustriALL Global Union outline brands’ commitments to support collective bargaining through their purchasing practices. These agreements, enforceable through international arbitration, mark a profound departure from past industry practices by ensuring that benefits and responsibilities are equitably shared among brands, employers, and workers.

For fair and sustainable outcomes, national social partners must lead in determining wages and working conditions through collective bargaining agreements. At the same time, substantial and lasting improvements require effective, tailored and trusted brand support.