The Importance of Ethical Sourcing
Finding ethical sourcing is an integral part of our supply chain process. It refers to sourcing your product from places where workers have safe and fair working conditions. Sourcing from companies that keep humane standards is extremely important to us. We want to make sure the companies we work with do not violate labor laws and keep good healthy working conditions.
Unethical Conditions are a Global Issue
It’s important to remember when you think about manufacturing that sweatshops and inhumane working conditions exist around the globe, including the Americas and Europe. This isn’t just an issue in countries like Asia and Africa, so wherever you choose to take your product, keep that in mind. You’ll still want to ensure your sourcing partner is producing products ethically regardless of the factories location.
Avoiding Damage to Your Company’s Image
Sourcing from unethical companies can be a quick way to damage your brand. Coca Cola, Nike, and Apple have had to work through issues with their suppliers.
Buying Trends Affected by Ethical Production
The demand for products to be ethically sourced has been increasing over the years. In fact, 9 out of 10 global consumers now say they prioritize buying from companies they KNOW treat their employees well.
People don’t want their products to come off the literal blood sweat and tears of the people that produce it, and the culture is changing to reflect that, similar to what happened with conflict diamonds that came from warzones.
How Can You Make Sure You are Buying from an Ethical Company?
There are special certifications that companies can get to prove they treat their employees ethically. The certifications will vary depending on the type of industry. For example, farming organizations can become Fairtrade certified. Companies looking to get fair trade certified would need to go through an audit to prove that they are not engaging in child labor and that their working conditions are safe and that they also treat their livestock well. Similar requirements would be held for corporations looking to get ethically approved through their relevant certification.
Another option is to use a sourcing company(like us). This is an especially good option for overseas sourcing, where you likely won’t know the culture or language and it can make finding an ethical company much more difficult.
Getting Help To Source Ethically
At Global Trade Specialists, we make sure the factories we source from do not use child labor or have unsafe or cruel working conditions. We do this through our partners who go direct to the factories and verify that they are up to standard. Making sure we aren’t exploiting people through the use of sweatshops is an important part of what we do and we take it seriously, both morally and ethically.
Feel free to contact us if you need help getting your product sourced.