Corporate social responsibility - AKA Primark is bad.

[princessoPUNK]

Originally Posted by Vonnie

Do you think it's ethical to take your business away from a struggling economy leaving them with no way to support their community?

No, I think its ethical for the businesses to pay the adults in these communities a fair amount, which means the children can actually go to school. I think its ethical to provide workplaces which are safer and more comfortable for those people work in. I have no objection to things being made elsewhere, but I do have an objection to children working 14 hour days in bad light for a few pence.

I think its ethical as a consumer to demand that changes are made, and if people say, well, at least they are earning something and not starving(which is a fair point, but isn't helping anyone), children will continue to live a life where they work all day, and their life never gets better.

My point was that if you buy clothes that have been produced here, you at least know people have been paid a reasonable amount, and worked in reasonable conditions for their work. However, Jenny has a point, clothing is produced ethically elsewhere.

I agree with you for the most part incidentally, my main issue comes from the term 'fair' and how it is defined. What we think is financially meagre recompense is a huge wage in some regions and my concerns lie with meddling in the economies of countries that the retailer may pull out of.

I really wish I knew more about this ethical thing that Primark have signed up to.

*ETA*
These might interest you
http://www.primark.co.uk/customerstatement.htm
http://www.primark.co.uk/ethicaltrade.htm
http://www.ethicalprimark.co.uk/news.html
(Dec 2005) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...op-518600.html

[princessoPUNK]

Originally Posted by Vonnie

I agree with you for the most part incidentally, my main issue comes from the term 'fair' and how it is defined. What we think is financially meagre recompense is a huge wage in some regions and my concerns lie with meddling in the economies of countries that the retailer may pull out of.

I really wish I knew more about this ethical thing that Primark have signed up to.

*ETA*
These might interest you
http://www.primark.co.uk/customerstatement.htm
http://www.primark.co.uk/ethicaltrade.htm
http://www.ethicalprimark.co.uk/news.html
(Dec 2005) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...op-518600.html

I think your concerns are founded, as Primark's reaction to the finding in the documentary were simply to put their orders from the factory, some of which they had been working on for weeks.

I do think that if it was demanded, shops would just pay slightly more and up the prices a bit, as it will always be cheaper elsewhere. Unfortunately, i think people like cheap clothes to much for that to actually happen.


For the person researching ethics in Clothing retail(and anyone else who is interested really), this site might help -

http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/FreeB.../clothing.aspx

[ladysavage]

i've given up buying from the high street almost entirely, the quality is variable and i struggle to find things to fit my stupid short frame. I've taken to buying things from eBay etc and charity shops, justifying it to myself that even if it was made in a sweatshop at least im recycling one item and giving a bit of cash to charity (before i just did it cos i'm broke and like a rummage!)