On Track
Heading the right way, but not there yet. Workers are paid a living wage, or the company is credibly working towards one. There's no confirmed forced or child labour, documented abuse or failing rating, but at least one Good standard is still missing. Small businesses that trade directly with named farms can be On Track on their own word. Until a living wage is proven, workers may still be paid less than they need.
A reasonable option, especially if there's no Good alternative. Check back, as these brands often improve.
What it takes
- Pays a living wage (proven, or assumed because it makes things in countries where legal wages meet one), or is actively working towards one: Fair Wear, GOTS, the Fair Labor Association, a top Chocolate Scorecard rating, a public plan due within 5 years, or a living wage already proven for part of its supply chain. Paying the legal minimum wage alone doesn't count, as in many production countries it's well below a living wage
- No serious red flags: no forced or child labour, documented abuse or failing ratings
- No confirmed problems with workers' pay, rights or safety that it hasn't shown it is fixing
- Either no red flags at all, or only one Good standard missing (usually independent supply chain audits), not counting the raw-material check. While a company is working towards a living wage, not yet proving one isn't counted as a red flag here
- Small, independent businesses built around direct trade with named farms can be On Track on their own word, before they publish prices or independent checks. These are marked * as self-reported, and any confirmed labour problem moves them down
How to move up
To reach Good: close the remaining gap, most often by proving a living wage, getting the full supply chain independently audited or publishing its suppliers.
Examples from each category
- Good and goes above and beyond (3 to 6 stars)
- Best available: the strongest in a category with no Good brand yet
- Est. = estimated, nothing found about the company itself
- * = self-reported
ComandanteMissing: where its earlier stages happen · Homewares, furniture & appliancesHand coffee grindersPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedECOYAMissing: where its earlier stages happen and a named supplier list · Homewares, furniture & appliancesSoy wax candles and home fragrancePays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedThunderpantsMissing: where its earlier stages happen · Clothing & footwearNZ-made cotton underwearPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedbassikeMissing: a full independent supply chain audit, where its earlier stages happen and 2 more · Clothing & footwearOrganic cotton casual wearPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedChopardMissing: a full independent supply chain audit · Jewellery & watchesLuxury jewellery and watchesPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedSarah & SebastianMissing: where its earlier stages happen and traced raw materials · Jewellery & watchesFine gold jewellery and engagement rings.Pays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedCharley's Chocolate FactoryMissing: living wage proof, a full independent supply chain audit and traced raw materials · Chocolate & cocoaTree-to-bar Queensland chocolateSays it buys directly and pays fairly, but hasn't published proof.On Track*Self-reportedNew Zealand King SalmonMissing: a traced catch with crews or farm workers checked · Fish & seafoodFarmed king salmonPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedPetunaMissing: a traced catch with crews or farm workers checked · Fish & seafoodFarmed Tasmanian ocean trout and salmonPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedDaintree EstatesMissing: a named supplier list and traced raw materials · Chocolate & cocoaAustralian-grown single-origin chocolatePays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedRaspberry PiMissing: a full independent supply chain audit, where its earlier stages happen and 2 more · ElectronicsLow-cost single-board computersPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedEqual ExchangeMissing: living wage proof, worker rights protections and a full independent supply chain audit · CoffeeWorker-owned fair trade coffee, chocolateSays it buys directly and pays fairly, but hasn't published proof.On Track*Self-reported23 DegreesMissing: living wage proof, worker rights protections and 2 more · CoffeeSpecialty coffee roaster, MelbourneSays it buys directly and pays fairly, but hasn't published proof.On Track*Self-reportedFairphoneMissing: living wage proof, worker rights protections and traced raw materials · ElectronicsModular, repairable smartphones and earbudsPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verified