NEWS
Update Information about the Jo-In Project in Turkey

Turkish Local Working Group meets on November 15; launches factory assessments phase

Building on the momentum created by its first meeting in late September, the JO-IN Turkish Local Working Group LWG) met on 15 November at the Dedeman Hotel in Istanbul. Attending his first meeting of the LWG since his apointment, Mike Murphy was introduced as the new JO-IN International Project Manager and duly welcomed by all to Turkey and to the Project.

As agreed at the September meeting, the LWG chairperson role will rotate between the various interest groups that are represented on the LWG (i.e. suppliers, brands, labour, NGOs etc.) and Lebib Mısırlı of the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association was elected as chair for the November meeting.

The main purpose of the meeting was to consolidate the LWG as a key part of the JO-IN Project, to oversee the smooth launch of the JO-IN factory assessments (see item 2 below), and to make plans for handling the results of the assessments when they are ready for discussion in late January 2006. The intention is to allow the LWG sub-groups (i.e. the interest groups) the opportunity to discuss the results separately, before they are brought to the next LWG plenary meeting which is scheduled for 30 January.

JO-IN Assessors get down to work: trials begin at the participating suppliers’ factories

On November 13 the first JO-IN factory assessment in Turkey began. This is the first of 6 planned factory assessments in Turkey, scheduled to be conducted over the next 2 months as a key part on the JO-IN Pilot Project.
The assessments are the result of a painstaking preparatory process, during which the 6 JO-IN Multistakeholder Initiatives have collaborated to produce a common code, and to draft the Protocols (i.e. questions) which test compliance with the code. Originally, 15 supplier companies agreed to be assessed according to the new code, but at the end of the process only 6 factories have remained “on board”. As one of the committed 6 suppliers remarked, to explain the high drop-out rate: “This is something new. New things can make people nervous.” A senior observer of the Garment Industry in Turkey saw it differently: “The suppliers that have remained committed should be congratulated. They have demonstrated a commitment to the JO-IN process. They deserve a certificate!”
In order to maintain confidentiality (as requested by the participating suppliers) the photos of the Assessors in action have been taken so the identity of the factory under inspection is not visible.

Assessments / November 2006

JO-IN Turkey office opens in Beyoglu, Istanbul

As the JO-IN Project moves into the key Assessments and Remediation phase, JO-IN Turkey-based staff have moved into their new office in Beyoglu, Istanbul. This is a step-up from the work-from-home practice adopted by JO-IN staff up to now, and is a sign of confidence that the Project is now - after some unanticipated delays - proceeding as planned towards targets and deadlines.
Steering Committee chair Vic Thorpe visited the new office on November 28 to congratulate staff and inspect the centrally-situated new premises. These include a meeting room facility suitable for smaller groups of stakeholders such as the Steering Committee, which will thus be able to hold its next meeting “in-house”.

Have Questions or Comments about Jo-In? If you are a member of one of the six organizations leading Jo-In, please contact your representative on the project Steering Committee. Or email info@jo-in.org.