Do Primark Follow Their ETI Base Code?
Primark states that when working with them, employment is freely chosen, they have the freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected, the working conditions are safe and hygienic, child labour shall not be used, living wages are paid, working hours are not excessive, no discrimination is practiced, regular employment is provided and no harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed. However, though they say they follow this base code, Primark and their factories often feature in the media about their poor conditions in the production stages. An article following the headline, “Exposed: Primark's sweatshops that pay children just 60p a day” states, “An investigation revealed that children as young as 11 were working in squalid conditions, sewing tiny beads and sequins onto cheap t-shirts by candle-light”. This goes against the 3rd, 4thand 5th ETI base code going against the laws that working conditions need to be safe and hygienic, child labour should not be used and living wages should be paid.
Rana Plaza is another factory located in Bangladesh that manufactures merchandise for large retailers. In 2013 on the 24th of April the building collapsed. The search for the dead lasted over three weeks. 1,129 were found dead and approximately 2,500 were injured. The building owners were cautioned and repeatedly ignored the warnings about the cracks found in the walls. After numerous cracks were found the building was evacuated and staff were instructed to return the following morning. The cracks were made due to the heavy equipment and weak floors. Levels were unsafely added on top of the original building causing the structure to fall. After watching a documentary on the collapse, I was shocked at the lack of space and the conditions they had to work in. It frustrated me that the building owners and safety inspectors allowed the quantity of people work in the unsafe building for so long. When shopping, I don't think too much of the production of the products I’m purchasing, now I may consider their conditions and it may deter me from shopping so much in certain retailers.
To raise awareness about the poor conditions some retailers put their manufacturers through, retailers could monitor their production closer and resolve issue that breach the ETI Base Code or put funding into the factories to help improve the quality of the workplace. Awareness could also be raised with the help of celebrities. With their massive fan bases and following it is easy for them to reach a vast amount of people. They could promote a charity to help funds towards improving the working conditions for those in third world countries.
ETHICS WITHIN THE SUPPLY CHAIN