Nike Comes Clean On Sweatshop Factories
It’s a good thing that Nike is starting to admit their faults around the topic of sweatshop factories. “Sports goods giant Nike has admitted a series of abuses at its Asian factories, including forced overtime and limited access to water.The American company has published an 108-page report which acknowledges some allegations long hurled at it by human rights groups.Its report admits widespread problems in Asian factories and has been praised as “an important step forward” by observers.” + Crooked Tongues via Yahoo News
It’s a good thing that Nike is starting to admit their faults around the topic of sweatshop factories.
“Sports goods giant Nike has admitted a series of abuses at its Asian factories, including forced overtime and limited access to water.The American company has published an 108-page report which acknowledges some allegations long hurled at it by human rights groups.Its report admits widespread problems in Asian factories and has been praised as “an important step forward” by observers.”
+ Crooked Tongues via Yahoo News
Nike Comes Clean On Sweatshop Factories
Sports goods giant Nike has admitted a series of abuses at its Asian factories, including forced overtime and limited access to water.The American company has published an 108-page report which acknowledges some allegations long hurled at it by human rights groups.Its report admits widespread problems in Asian factories and has been praised as “an important step forward” by observers.
The statement is the first in almost three years, its silence sparked by a court case it settled for around £800,000 after allegations it made false claims about how its staff were treated.
Nike founder and chairman Philip Knight said: “We’ve been fairly quiet for the past three years in corporate responsibility… So we’re using this report to play a little catch-up and draw a more complete picture.”
The Oregon-based firm lists 124 factories in China, 73 in Thailand, 35 in South Korea, 34 in Vietnam and others in Asia, the continent home to most accusations of sweatshop operations.
Nike – sponsor of Tiger Woods, Serena Williams and Manchester United – also produces goods in Australia, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Turkey, South America and the US.
The survey found that in more than half of Nike’s factories, employees worked more than 60 hours a week, in up to a quarter staff refusing to do overtime were punished.
And wages were below the legal minimum in up to 25% of factories.
Michael Posner, executive director of Human Rights First welcomed the report but added: “The facts on the ground suggest there are still enormous problems with these supply chains on the ground.”
