Others say that sweatshops are but part of the natural course of economic development of any country that seeks to progress. But it is by no means a reason turn a blind eye to the lamentable conditions of women and children in these factories. Social movements working towards establishing a world that is just have gained inroads in influencing government policies to put an end to the abuse of women and children in the workplace. Initiatives such as the Clean Clothes Campaign, Ethical Trading Initiative, Fair Trade campaigns in Europe and the U.S. have gained ground to introduce alternative means of doing business to usher in a society where prosperity is shared and enjoyed not at the expense more vulnerable sectors. These initiatives are characterized by their campaigns not only to instigate changes in policy but more importantly in bringing in a new perspective and changes in attitudes of consumers. Such attitudinal and behavioral changes are important especially in light of empowering consumers to make the choice of putting their hard-earned money on products that are produced under conditions that do not alienate workers, producers or artisans. Coming up with a comprehensive proposal to put an end to exploitation of women and children in sweatshops, Green America published the fifth edition of the Guide to Ending Sweatshops. It boldly proposes to investors and consumers to use their power to halt the abusive conditions by which products sold in developed, First World countries are made (Co-op America, 2004). Among its proposals basically start with awareness raising among the consuming public about being more discerning in purchasing products and discriminating against products of companies that has sweatshops in its supply chains, engaging in campaigns for corporate accountability and responsibility, as well as consumer campaigns, educating oneself about companies, exercising all means to influence company policies through the votes it affords its stockholders, among many others. Similar initiatives are being undertaken by campaigners bythe fair-trade movement where labelling of products as fair-trade...
Being more aware about the world around us will help us become more conscious of the power we wield in changing the way business is being made. According to a consumer survey conducted by Green America, consumers are willing to pay up to 28 per cent more of a product's price if it is made under conditions that are not oppressive (Green America). Sweatshops exist because we, in the First World, continue to purchase products made under deplorable conditions. Unwittingly, our indiscriminate purchases indicate to these companies that only low prices of our purchases are what matters to us. Some scholars call this "mindless consumerism" but experience has proven that we, as consumers, can wield the power not only the purchases we make but also by registering our displeasure for exploitation and do everything within our means to put a stop to it. Our indifference to the plight of women and children in poorer countries actually indicts us as perpetrators of abuses that are unthinkable by the standards in our developed societies.
Sweatshops in Third World Countries Not so long ago when the word sweatshop was mentioned, images of Charles Dickens would surface, for the notion of sweatshops seemed to be a thing of the past. However, in recent years, sweatshops have been at the forefront of media attention. They are back, actually they never truly went away at all, and they are back in full swing around the world, mostly in third
Sweatshops Are Sweatshops a Necessarily Evil? Within the last few years, Americans have become aware that sometimes when American corporations send manufacturing tasks to foreign countries, those tasks end up being performed by people we would view as not yet adults -- young teenagers, and sometimes even workers younger than that. The companies argue that they do not always have either control or knowledge that such practices are going on, thus excusing
Fashion The misappropriation of Native American imagery, iconography, cultural ideology, and fashion is nothing new. After all, a slew of professional sports teams continue to run with Indian names and logos in spite of the controversy in doing so. A few sports teams, like the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball franchise, boast insidious "tomahawk" chants during their games. The latest trend in Native misappropriation is not much more tasteful than a Cleveland
The organization explains that consumers can take the initiative to speak out against companies that use sweatshops. (Ten Ways to end Sweatshops) They can also join campaigns such as OXFAM which attempt to ensure that special events such as the Olympics are not utilizing products created in sweatshops. Ten Ways to end Sweatshops) Conclusion The purpose of this paper was to discuss sweatshops, the impact that they have on the world and what
Ethics and Corporate Responsibility in the Workplace PharmaCARE's motto is "We CARE about YOUR health" -- and this assertion should be born out in the firm's actions and not just in its words. To understand the actual impact of the organization's actions, it is necessary to acknowledge its stakeholders and see how each is affected. By doing so, a better system of corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be implemented that will
The Secretary of Labor shall provide by regulation or by order that the employment of employees between the ages of fourteen and sixteen years in occupations other than manufacturing and mining shall not be deemed to constitute oppressive child labor if and to the extent that the Secretary of Labor determines that such employment is confined to periods which will not interfere with their schooling and to conditions which
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