The MFA Forum is an open multi-stakeholder network of over 80 participating organisations representing brands and retailers, industry associations, trade unions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), governments, and multi-lateral institutions.

The MFA Forum meets annually at its international convening where the entire MFA Forum makes strategy and policy decisions collectively and collaboratively. In addition, the international convenings provide an opportunity for our participants to meet in-person at least once a year, build relationships and networks, and where working groups may progress key decisions and report to the whole of the Forum. The international convenings alternate between North America and Europe to allow as many participants as possible to attend.

AccountAbility serves as the Secretariat for the MFA Forum and is responsible for fundraising and reporting, convening, managing and coordination of the MFA Forum.

An Executive Committee (representing business, public sector, trade unions, NGOs and multi-stakeholder initiatives) was formed in 2005 to expedite decisions and guidance for the Secretariat to implement decisions coming out of the international convenings.

The Executive Committee’s Terms of Reference does not give authority to the EC to decide policy or strategy for the MFA Forum, rather it is a body to help the Secretariat implement activities based on the decisions of the MFA Forum.

Participation in the in-country sub-groups of the MFA Forum is voluntary and open to organisations with an interest in developing the responsible competitiveness of the garment and textiles industry in that country. In-country groups are formed when there is a ‘critical mass’ of sufficient interest amongst MFA Forum participants, when there is multi-stakeholder representation by Forum participants, and a willingness on the part of one or two to lead the group's efforts.

Participants of the MFA Forum are free to initiate meetings in any country where there is a multi-stakeholder interest at work, especially where the MFA Forum has been invited by the stakeholders of the country. Each working group aims to have both international and local multi-stakeholder representation with government involvement to understand and discuss the future of their industry. Read more about how we work.

The governance structure of the MFA Forum has been kept deliberately simple in order to minimize the resources needed to maintain it, to harness the innovation and flexibility of such a network, and to be inclusive so that any parties interested in the MFA Forum’s work may be encouraged to participate at a level of involvement that suits them. For this reason the MFA Forum has not introduced any membership or membership fees.