ENFORCING INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS THROUGH CORPORATE CODES OF CONDUCT

This article first reviews initiatives by the international community to address the ''linkage'' between trade and international labor right s and fair labor standards through domestic trade statutes, regional t rade agreements and other governmental approaches. It then examines se veral private sector efforts embracing ''codes of conduct'' for labor and employment practices in international commerce. Some are proposed by sources external to multinational corporations as codes by which th ey can pledge to abide. Others are initiated by individual companies t hemselves. The authors focus their treatment on codes of conduct issue d by Levi Strauss & Co, and Reebok Corporation as examples of the chal lenges in formulating, auditing and enforcing labor rights and labor s tandards by private corporations engaged in international trade.