It’s been a while…

But don’t worry we have been very busy! Not least with delivering babies, doing countless ethical audits across the world, and learning something about the way consumers think about ethical trade. 

A consumer survey was published last week which found that many consumers do not believe fashion retailers’ claims on ethical sourcing. It also stated that the most important issue to consumers was whether or not there were underage or child workers making the products that they were buying. 

The study, published by TNS Worldpanel Fashion, asked 7,000 people about the ethical credentials claimed by UK retailers. 45% said that they were sceptical. It suggested that older buyers (over 55) were more interested in ethical claims than those under the age of 25.

Our own experience shows that customers are pleasantly surprised to hear how much work certain fashion retailers are doing on ethics. More people are checking the labels for information. More people are becoming more discriminating in which claims they choose to believe.

Here at Impactt we welcome increased consumer interest. We welcome the exposes and the media coverage, but it would be great if retailers, brands, NGOs, unions and journalists could report more credible good news stories to customers – more stories to show that by working hard on these issues we can all make a difference to the lives of the people making the stuff we buy.

Labour standards and wages the focus of a resolution at Tesco’s AGM today

We are all waiting with baited breath to hear about the outcome of the shareholder resolution at the Tesco AGM today. The campaign group Action Aid have brought Gertruida Baartman, a fruit picker from South Africa, over to speak about her experiences at this years AGM. It is the second year that Ms Baartman has visited the AGM. Last year Ms Baartman told how she worked very long hours for £3.41 per day. She demanded that Tesco use their influence to ensure a fairer deal for workers in their supply chain. She also explained how workers were exposed to dangerous pesticides. Terry Reid, the Chairman of Tesco promised to look into the issue and ensure conditions improved at her farm.

The Guardian have reported today that this year Gertruida has explained how some conditions have improved at her farm, especially after Tesco’s Chairman visited in May. However she says that her pay has not improved.

Tesco for their part have stated that they are members of the ETI and take labour standards in their supply chain very seriously.

At today’s meeting Tesco’s shareholder will be asked to consider a resolution demanding higher standards for workers in Tesco’s global supply chain. If passed, the resoulution would oblige Tesco to “appoint independent auditors to ensure that workers in its supplier factories are guaranteed decent working conditions, a living wage, job security and the right to join a trade union of their choice.”

Many of the larger shareholders are unlikely to support the resolution, because it asks the company to ‘guarantee’ conditions. Something that with the best will in the world Tesco is unlikely to be able to ensure. However the resolution, which was tabled by War on Want’s company secretary, Ben Birnberg, has the support of investors like the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

There is still a great deal of pressure on supermarkets to show that they are responding to these issues. It is unlikely to go away.

Ghosts – a film about the Morecambe Bay cocklepickers

I watched the harrowing film ‘Ghosts‘ last night. I found it an extremely emotive reminder of why we work on issues of labour standards. Ghosts dramatises the stories of the 23 Chinese illegal migrants to Britain who drowned in Morecambe Bay in February 2004.

The opening scenes of the last group of migrants standing on top of their white van as the cold dark waves lap around their legs was absolutely heart-stopping. The film works back from these moments exploring how these workers found themselves in such a desperate position. Ain Quin, a young Chinese girl pays $25,000 to be smuggled into the UK. She becomes one of 3 million migrant workers that work in Britain. Living in cramped conditions with eleven other migrants she works in meat factories supplying UK supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA. When the work dries up and they are hounded from their home by racist abuse, the Chinese migrants find themselves cockling in Morecambe Bay.

After being beaten up by other cocklers they risk their lives by going out on the sandbeds at night, with disastrous consequences. The film brings into clarity many facets of migrants’ lives. At almost every turn they were vulnerable to exploitation. Many were bonded to moneylenders and the smugglers who had got them into the UK. As illegal migrants they were as worried about being caught as they were about scraping together their meagre living.

The film raises many questions about the plight of illegal migrants in our globalised world and gives no easy answers to their situation. A fund has been set up for the victims’ families, who are still saddled with debts and under enormous pressure from moneylenders.

Everyone working in ethical trading should be made to sit down and watch this movie, maybe it would prompt braver and more human strategies to prevent this ever happening again.

Nike sacks Pakistani football maker over long-term failure to improve labour standards

Last month sportswear giant Nike ended its contract with Saga Sports, a production site in Sialkot, Pakistan, following an investigation that revealed they had been outsourcing Nike production to homeworkers. It was found that these workers were stitching the Premiership footballs in their homes. Nike stated that this prevents them from being able to monitor and ensure safe labour standards, and creates the potential for the use of underage labour.

The Premier League was fully briefed by Nike about its decision, and there will be a shortage of footballs while Nike switches production to China.

Nike is reported to have made significant efforts to work with the factory, including regular meetings and remediation plans to improve labour standards. Hannah Jones, Nike’s vice president of corporate responsibility, stated that ‘In this case, remediation didn’t work. In fact, we saw a further significant deterioration of working conditions due to a lack of commitment by management to address the problems. We also are deeply concerned about the broader conditions and practices we saw in home-based settings.’

Nike is also engaging with a group of governmental, non-governmental and industry stakeholders to ensure support for affected workers and explore sustainable approaches to manufacturing in Sialkot. Jones also said that the company’s efforts are now focused on securing the rights of those Saga Sports employees affected, and exploring with stakeholders the possibility of turning this into a ‘catalyst for change in manufacturing methods’ and contributing to sustainable development. Oxfam have praised the move by Nike saying that it is a positive step in the right direction, but that the company still has much to do with regard to trade unions and the right to organise. Source: Nike Inc press release; The Guardian