We want the makers of Zeeman goods to earn a living wage. In other words, a wage sufficient to cover all basic needs, such as housing, transport, food, and healthcare. In many producing countries the minimum wage is not sufficient to meet these needs. In 2024 we started five new living wage pilots at suppliers. In total, we now have 10 Living Wage programmes where we finance a living wage at specific suppliers, repre-
senting 26% of the purchase value of clothing and textiles (Fair Wear’s scope) in Turkey, South Asia and East Asia.
This means that we now provide a Zeeman-premium in the Far East and Turkey for our share of the production at these suppliers.
By 2027, we plan to fund a living wage for 50% of our purchase value of clothing and textiles in Turkey, South Asia and East Asia.
Read more about our next steps for living wage here.
Zeeman pays a living wage for 26% of garments and textiles.
Fair Wear Foundation Brand Performance Check: 'Good' rating for Zeeman.
Since october 2019 we are member of the Fair Wear Foundation. Together we are committed to further improving the conditions in the textile industry. Every year, Fair Wear will review our efforts by measuring how well we have assessed, identified and resolved issues in our supply-chain.
In August last year, Zeeman earned a ‘good’ score of 68%. The score was the same as in 2023, but the percentage is a bit higher, up from 59% in 2023. In 2023, Fair Wear adjusted the assessment methodology to align with the OECD guidelines. The indicators make use of the due diligence
action plan, so the methodology focuses more on our risk approach. This raises the bar for all the members. Read the full brand performance check report here: www.fairwear.org/brands/zeeman
In 2024, Fair Wear’s assessment indicated that we had made progress on the themes of discrimination and gender inequality. For instance, steps have been taken to better identify discrimination against women. It’s a long road, but more and more data is being collected. Data analysis could help identify issues more clearly. In 2025, we will continue along this path.