Australian ethical labour sourcing standard
On 18 July 2018, BRE announced it is partnering with Global GreenTag International to develop a localised, Australian version of the pioneering Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard (ELS).
Global GreenTag International Pty Ltd is a third party ecolabelling, product certification, environmental product declaration (EPD) and product health declaration (PhD) program operator based in Australia. Its programs are recognised in WELL™, BREEAM International, EarthCheck®, Green Star®, LOTUS® and the Malaysian Government’s MyHIJAU program and are compliant with credit requirements in LEED® (PhDs and EPDs), and BREEAM® (EPDs).
The new standard will be developed in advance of the enactment of the Commonwealth of Australia’s Modern Slavery Act and follows enactment of the New South Wales Government’s Modern Slavery Act 2018. It has been created to recognise organisations seeking third party assurance of their responsible and ethical business practices and to provide a pathway for continuous improvement.
The Standard sets out a series of requirements for organisational management to demonstrate commitment to the principles of ethical labour sourcing as part of a holistic framework that includes criteria for evaluating the maturity of the organisation’s performance in relation to twelve issues. However, verification is based on a commitment to improve through an agreed set of objectives rather than an aggregation of the levels of maturity in the 12 issues.
Self-assessment is permitted, but a higher level can be achieved by third party verification through the online ELS platform.
David Baggs, CEO and Program Director at Global GreenTag said; “Global GreenTag is partnering with BRE to bring a mature ELS tool to Australia at a time when Modern Slavery legislation has been enacted in NSW and is likely to be introduced federally later this year or next year... It is already something Global GreenTag does at a product level and we want to be able to support companies, verifiers and the industry in general to engage with the new legislation in as cost efficient a manner possible.”
Nigel Jones, Team Leader – Sustainable Products at BRE said; “The Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard for Australia will enable any organisation to demonstrate to customers, partners and other stakeholders, their commitment to eliminating any possibility of trafficking or slavery in their supply chain. It will enable companies to go beyond compliance with the outlined reporting requirements of the Modern Slavery Bill 2018 which was introduced to the Australian Parliament at the end of June”.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- BRE articles.
- BRE Buzz.
- BREEAM.
- Building Research Establishment.
- Construction and the Modern Slavery Act.
- Environmental product declaration.
- Ethical sourcing.
- Ethics in construction
- Expediting.
- International Ethics Standards Coalition
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED.
- Modern slavery and the supply chain.
- Sourcing.
- Well and BREEAM align.
Featured articles and news
The UK's Modern Industrial Strategy: A 10 year plan
Previous consultation criticism, current key elements and general support with some persisting reservations.
Building Safety Regulator reforms
New roles, new staff and a new fast track service pave the way for a single construction regulator.
Architectural Technologist CPDs and Communications
CIAT CPD… and how you can do it!
Cooling centres and cool spaces
Managing extreme heat in cities by directing the public to places for heat stress relief and water sources.
Winter gardens: A brief history and warm variations
Extending the season with glass in different forms and terms.
Restoring Great Yarmouth's Winter Gardens
Transforming one of the least sustainable constructions imaginable.
Construction Skills Mission Board launch sector drive
Newly formed government and industry collaboration set strategy for recruiting an additional 100,000 construction workers a year.
New Architects Code comes into effect in September 2025
ARB Architects Code of Conduct and Practice available with ongoing consultation regarding guidance.
Welsh Skills Body (Medr) launches ambitious plan
The new skills body brings together funding and regulation of tertiary education and research for the devolved nation.
Paul Gandy FCIOB announced as next CIOB President
Former Tilbury Douglas CEO takes helm.
UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy. In brief with reactions
With the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA).
Ebenezer Howard: inventor of the garden city. Book review.
The Grenfell Tower fire, eight years on
A time to pause and reflect as Dubai tower block fire reported just before anniversary.
Airtightness Topic Guide BSRIA TG 27/2025
Explaining the basics of airtightness, what it is, why it's important, when it's required and how it's carried out.
Construction contract awards hit lowest point of 2025
Plummeting for second consecutive month, intensifying concerns for housing and infrastructure goals.
Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025
Examining the state of mental health in construction, shedding light on levels of stress, anxiety and depression.