Lidl response to calls to meet costs of Employer Pays Principle across supply chains
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Thank you for reaching out to Lidl GB regarding the implementation of the Employer Pays Principle (EPP) within the UK Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS)…
Lidl GB is committed to ensuring the welfare of all workers within our UK and global supply chains. We recognise the additional risks that workers may face under the UK government’s Seasonal Workers Scheme (SWS), particularly concerning recruitment fees. Our commitment to addressing and reducing this risk is demonstrated through several ongoing initiatives…
Lidl GB has committed to the Employer Pays Principle (EPP), and as funders of the Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS) Taskforce, over the past two years we’ve collaborated with other retailers to focus on the responsible recruitment of agricultural workers in the UK…we are supporting an EPP feasibility study…Additionally, we are in collaboration with other UK-based retailers on a project in a high-risk country, investigating and addressing recruitment fees…
The introduction of SMETA 7.0 and the "Collaborative Action Required" (CAR) initiative aims to enhance understanding, collaboration, and remediation regarding recruitment fees, which we fully support. However, alongside other retailers, we have urged Sedex to provide further clarity on the implementation timelines for CAR... For total clarity, “Sedex-certified audits” do not exist.
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