Trademark Licensing Policy
U of T Student are our why
When the name U of T appears on a hoodie at the Stadium, a mug in a lab, or a banner at a student event, it signals who we are and the values we choose to advance. Two decades ago, U of T students helped make those values unmistakable.
In March 2000, Students Against Sweatshops (SAS) staged a 10-day sit-in demanding labour standards for factories producing U of T-branded goods. The campaign catalyzed a licensing policy that put human dignity at the centre of our brand.
That spring, U of T became the first Canadian university to adopt a landmark Trademark Licensing Policy designed to ensure the University’s marks appear only on high-quality products made under humane, non-exploitative conditions. This dedication and approach has shaped annual reporting and oversight ever since.
This is why our Code of Conduct for Licensees and the U of T Trademark Licensing Policy are so important. They translate student leadership and institutional values into the current standard. They ensure that every licensed supplier using our name is accountable to workers, to the planet, and to our U of T community.
The Trademark Licensing Policy says
- Protect the brand & the people behind it. U of T’s marks should appear only on high-quality products made under humane, non-exploitative conditions and never in ways that discriminate or tarnish the University’s reputation.
- Governance & oversight. The President establishes the Code of Conduct and monitoring/complaints mechanisms; the community (students, staff, faculty) is consulted on reviews; and the University Affairs Board receives annual reports.
- Active monitoring. The University may decline products/designs, proactively direct licensees (sample reviews, compliance reports), and treat licensee compliance reports as public documents.
- Collaboration. U of T seeks co-operation with other institutions and organizations to strengthen verification and monitoring.
The Code of Conduct for Licensees standards
Scope & duty to comply. Applies to all trademark licensees and their contractors (including subcontractors and component makers) engaged in any manufacturing process (creation, assembly, packaging). Compliance is a condition of producing or selling U of T-branded goods.
If something goes wrong, fix it. U of T can require remediation (e.g., back wages, reinstatement), agree with a corrective action plan, and terminate relationships if violations persist.
- Baseline standards (highlights):
- Legal compliance & ethics: follow the higher of local law or the Code; conduct business with honesty, integrity, and respect.
- Wages & benefits: meet or exceed prevailing industry standards or provide a living wage, whichever is greater.
- Hours & overtime: no more than 48 hours/week + 12 hours OT (or lower legal limits); at least one day off every 7; premium pay for OT.
- No child or forced labour: minimum age aligned with ILO norms/compulsory education; absolutely no prison, bonded, or indentured labour.
- Health & Safety: Safe Workplaces and (if provided) safe housing.
- Non-discrimination: hire, pay, and promote based on ability; protect pregnant workers from discriminatory treatment.
- No harassment or abuse: dignity and respect; no corporal punishment.
- Freedom of association: respect workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively without retaliation.
- Transparency and verification
- Licensees must disclose factory names, ownership, locations, and production steps and report material changes (e.g., new factories); this information is public.
- U of T reserves the right to conduct announced examinations; internal and independent monitoring frameworks are to be developed and clearly defined.
From a student-led sit-in to a University-wide governance model, U of T’s trademark licensing story is a case study in community standards becoming policy and practicing that policy. Student advocacy pressed the University to align brand use with human rights and the President and Governing Council codified that commitment through the Trademark Licensing Policy and Code of Conduct for Licensees.
At the end of the day, when you see the U of T name on a product, it carries not just our identity but our promise to the people who made it.
