Overview
Georgetown University, the nation’s oldest Catholic and Jesuit institution of higher learning, is committed to the protection and promotion of human rights worldwide. Consistent with this longstanding tradition, Georgetown has acted to safeguard the rights of workers in factories that produce apparel and other products bearing the name and logos of the University.
Along with other U.S. colleges and universities, Georgetown markets its name and logos through IMG College Licensing (IMGCL). IMGCL then contracts with global brands that manufacture apparel and other products bearing the trademarks and names of colleges and universities. IMGCL is responsible for ensuring that companies sign contracts to make products bearing Georgetown’s name and logos that require licensees to abide by the Code of Conduct for Georgetown University Licensees, which provides standards for working conditions, workplace rights, and monitoring producers worldwide.
In 2017, Georgetown facilitated the establishment of a new protocol between Nike, Inc., and the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) that provides the WRC with access to Nike supplier factories that manufacture collegiate products to investigate working conditions. The protocol is part of a new retail license agreement between Georgetown and Nike. Under the contract, Nike also agreed that its manufacturers will abide by IMGCL’s Labor Code Standards, which are aligned with the University’s Code of Conduct and include the labor standards under which the WRC investigates factories.
In Fall 2000, Georgetown established the Licensing Oversight Committee (LOC) to provide guidance to the University on these issues. The LOC advises on policy toward, and relations with, IMGCL, the WRC and all licensees. The committee makes recommendations regarding the University’s relationships with the collegiate products and apparel industry stakeholders.
One way that the LOC carries out its charge is through its relationship with the Worker Rights Consortium, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that monitors manufacturers’ compliance with the codes of conduct of colleges and universities. Georgetown is one of the founding affiliates of the WRC.
The LOC meets regularly, and its membership includes faculty, students and administrators. The chair of the LOC is J. Callahan Watson, Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Business Policy.
Committee Membership
Current members of the LOC are:
- Jose Luis Guerrero, Associate Professor, McDonough School of Business
- Connor Martin, Georgetown University Student Association representative
- Dan O’Neil, Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs
- Edward Soule, Associate Professor, McDonough School of Business
- Will Stocksdale, Georgetown University Student Association representative
- Dave Zumbrennen, Graduate Student Government representative
Contact Information
For information on how to become an official licensee of Georgetown University, please visit the IMG College Licensing website (new window).
For general inquiries about Georgetown University’s licensing program, please contact licensing@georgetown.edu.