In anticipation of this summer’s Olympics, more attention has been directed at China and its role in protecting human rights. China and human rights—these phrases may conjure up a number of images: Tiananmen Square, press censorship and—one of the hottest issues in an age of corporate responsibility—sweatshops with their grueling hours, abhorrent conditions, and underpaid workers.
During the pre-Games momentum, with an increasingly brighter spotlight on a country with a questionable human rights track record, sports apparel companies, of all industries, better be on their best behavior. Unfortunately, a timely report recently released by China Labor Watch (CLW) unveiled devastatingly poor conditions at one of PUMA’s China-based suppliers. A similar report had encouraged the company to assuage poor conditions at another one of its factories. However, with the release of CLW’s new findings—which reflect the company’s general practices in regards to its factories—it appears that PUMA’s prior corrective actions were an attempt to “portray itself as socially responsible.”
PUMA’s decision to respond to conditions at only one of its suppliers is illustrative of a company that must be watched closely—like a mischievous child—so that bad behavior is not repeated. Unfortunately watchdog groups and social auditors such as Verité have limited resources to visit virtually every factory in question. And even if they did, the timing of inspections and sources of information are critical to obtaining the most accurate depiction of working conditions. However, is it really worth the risk for a company to merely cover its tracks? Companies must be proactive in ensuring their compliance with international labor standards. Otherwise—in the case that they “get caught”—isolated remedial actions the second, third, or even fourth time around, begin to look more and more like whitewashing. A link to CLW’s report on PUMA can be found at: http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/2008615.htm.
Stumble It!
{ 0 comments… add one now }