by Montieth & Company’s CEO and Global Managing Partner, Montieth Illingworth, featured in Law360, discusses American Apparel’s revamped ethics policy.
Montieth Illingworth, president of New York-based strategic communications consulting firm Montieth & Co., described American Apparel’s revamped ethics policy as “robust.” “Still, the true test will be how the code of ethics policy is enforced and whether the company’s leadership can instill a new corporate culture at all levels of management,” he said.
Aside from the section on sexual harassment, American Apparel’s ethics policy also includes strong language regarding insider trading and explicit prohibitions for retaliating against employees who blow the whistle on potential problems with government agencies, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Illingworth said.
Illingworth said that there are areas where American Apparel’s ethics code could be expanded, including policies on environmental sustainability and community engagement.
Still, Illingworth said that the policy, and how quickly the company has moved on it, is a positive step for American Apparel.
“You can see that they’ve thought about it,” he said.