FLA accredits PopSockets' social compliance program

WASHINGTON, DC — October 5, 2022

Fair Labor Association (FLA) announced today that its board of directors voted to accredit the social compliance program of PopSockets, LLC, a privately owned digital lifestyle brand headquartered in Boulder, which specializes in producing phone grips and other products including cases, wallets, chargers and mounts.

This decision represents a rigorous, multi-year evaluation of PopSockets’ business systems for compliance with international labor standards designed to protect workers in their global supply chains. PopSockets sources from eight contract facilities and one self-operated facility across six countries: China, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United States, and Việt Nam.

“Fair Labor Accreditation is a tangible example of PopSockets’ commitment to driving long-lasting, positive change to improve workers’ lives,” said Sharon Waxman, FLA President and CEO. “Our evaluation of PopSockets’ social compliance program documents that the company has effective systems in place — from headquarters to factory — that protect workers in their global supply chain.”

“It has been an incredible process to receive this accreditation that I truly believe is one of our greatest achievements as a company,” said David Barnett, PopSockets Founder and CEO. “Countless team members, dedicated to making a positive impact on the welfare and safety of our supply chain workers, have made this possible. We are excited to continue our work and advocate for a better world.”

The PopSockets Accreditation report provides details from the in-depth review of the PopSockets social compliance program as measured against FLA’s Principles of Fair Labor and Responsible Sourcing. Specifically, the Accreditation report documents PopSockets’ initiatives in the areas of living wage, supplier relationships, grievance mechanisms, and training.

• Living wage: PopSockets is implementing wage data collection and analysis and has established criteria at the country and supplier levels to measure progress toward closing living wage gaps in high production countries. The company aims to raise average net wages for at least 30% of its supplier workforce to living wage levels and reduce average overtime to legal limits by 2025.
• Supplier relationships: PopSockets is increasing supplier business stability by improving forecasting, planning, and communications. The company provides incentives, such as additional business, automation investment, civil society engagement activities, and training for suppliers that show consistency or improvement.
• Grievance mechanisms and remediation: PopSockets maintains a standard operating procedure which ensures follow up on submissions, work with the facility to address issues, and remediation tracking. Company policy requires suppliers to involve worker representatives in follow-up calls and root cause analysis.
• Training: PopSockets has developed and implemented an extensive training program to educate its headquarters staff and inform suppliers on policies and programs relating to labor rights and sustainability issues.

Fair Labor Accredited companies are evaluated on an ongoing basis and must demonstrate continuous improvement efforts to address working conditions and protect workers’ rights.

To see a list of Fair Labor Accredited companies and to learn more, please visit www.fairlabor.org.

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Fair Labor Association (FLA) promotes human rights at work. We are an international network of companies, universities, and civil society organizations collaborating to ensure that millions of people working at the world’s factories and farms are paid fairly and protected from risks to their health, safety, and well-being. 

PopSockets makes empowering, expressive products that help people phone better. Selling over 244 million phone grips, PopSockets has an expanding ecosystem of cases, wallets and mounts. Impact initiatives to-date have resulted in over $4 million in cash and product donations to over 400 non-profits, TerraCycle® recycling programs, use of 99% recyclable and FSC certified packaging, FLA accreditation status, and adoption of an animal-free corporate policy.

FLA CONTACT: communications@fairlabor.org

POPSOCKETS CONTACT: popsockets@5wpr.com