- Joined
- Dec 29, 2017
- Posts
- 982
Outside Mag did a really strong piece on fair labor (or lack thereof) from some of the most respected, priciest, and most innovative outdoor companies. Social Responsibility is super complex. Companies don't own their factories, there are usually layers of sourcing agents and parent companies between brands and their factories. Bribery, threats, and corruption impact both how honest interviewed employees are with auditors and how honest auditors are on their reports (since auditors are mostly 3rd parties as well). There are tons of auditing companies and associations that brands/factories/parent companies can join to give off the impression they're committed to fair labor.
And to boot, the solution is far from easy - the issue isn't a shortage of audits or willingness to move production once problems arise. The most impactful steps involve building relationships with factories and being invested in their communities, which gets challenging when you've got layers of distance and over 50 suppliers spread out across the globe (who are themselves, working with 50+ versions of you).
But the most important thing we can do as consumers is voice that we care. Talk about it, send an email, tweet, or slide into your brand of choice's DMs. Feels insignificant, but it works. And when possible, lean into the suppliers who are really trying (shocker, shoutout to Patagonia) and are vocally self-critical about the fact that there's still work to do.
And to boot, the solution is far from easy - the issue isn't a shortage of audits or willingness to move production once problems arise. The most impactful steps involve building relationships with factories and being invested in their communities, which gets challenging when you've got layers of distance and over 50 suppliers spread out across the globe (who are themselves, working with 50+ versions of you).
But the most important thing we can do as consumers is voice that we care. Talk about it, send an email, tweet, or slide into your brand of choice's DMs. Feels insignificant, but it works. And when possible, lean into the suppliers who are really trying (shocker, shoutout to Patagonia) and are vocally self-critical about the fact that there's still work to do.