A severe accident took place last weekend in Kunshan (very close to Shanghai). Many good articles have covered it and exposed the facts. It was apparently triggered by poor ventilation that allowed dusk to accumulate and cause an … [Read more...]
The Value of Worker Interviews during Social Compliance Audits
Worker interviews is a typical part of social compliance audits. This is something auditors arrange in a closed room, one on one. They ask about the pay, the working time, the working conditions, the accidents, and so on. It gives them … [Read more...]
The Inevitable Trend toward Openness in China Supply Chains
I wrote before about the reasons why China supply chains are usually hidden, and about the trend for more transparency. It is becoming increasingly clear that large consumer-facing companies are under pressure to "open the kimono" and are … [Read more...]
What a Social Auditor Should Check in Chinese Factories
Big brands/retailers send a lot of social auditors to the factories working for them. It is usually ineffective (or worse), but there are a few bright spots too. Now, how about smaller companies that want to live and breathe ethical … [Read more...]
Nike’s Efforts at Ethical Sourcing (CSR) and Lean
I wrote before about the joke of Walmart's "ethical sourcing" policy. Importers have asked me several times for examples of successful CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategies, and I had trouble coming up with real cases. Tchibo, … [Read more...]
Preserving a brand’s reputation when manufacturing in low-cost countries
How can a brand protect its image, and at the same time place production in countries like Bangladesh, India, or China? Many people would say "it's impossible to lower risks to zero" and they would be right. But how to reduce risks to a … [Read more...]
Ethical sourcing in China: a view from the ground
The term "ethical sourcing" is in fashion these days. And it seems to be a step in the good direction, since it puts responsibility on the sourcer (for example, Wal-Mart and the importer/middleman, if any). "Social compliance" implicitly … [Read more...]
The rise in popularity of social compliance audits in Asian countries
Because of the bad publicity earned by importers such as Wal Mart and C&A after the recent factory fire in Bangladesh, more and more importers are considering social audits as a normal part of their supplier monitoring process. In … [Read more...]
The myth of social compliance in Asia
Another horrible accident occurred last Saturday in a Bangladeshi factory. I took some excerpts from a good article (Bangladesh Factory Fire Puts Ethical Sourcing, Factory Conditions in Spotlight) I found: A garment-factory fire in … [Read more...]
A good analysis of Apple’s China scandals
I am tired of reading newspaper articles and random commentaries about Apple's problems in China. The situation is complex, and most people don't fully "get" it. One person who "gets" it, though, is Richard Brubaker, Founder of … [Read more...]