International trade
If you import any materials or products from overseas, outsource
work abroad or use foreign manufacturers, it's ethical best
practise to consider the working standards of all the people
involved in the production and sourcing of your product and raw
materials. Increasingly, this is also what customers expect and
want. This guide introduces you to:
- What to consider
- How to do it
What to consider
You need to look beyond just the people working
for you - investigate the standards of your suppliers and their
suppliers in turn. To meet ethical standards, you need to ensure
that all the people involved in your product and its raw materials
are paid a fair wage, are of decent working age - typically 16 or
over, are working reasonable hours in safe, hygienic workplaces,
and are not subject to discrimination or abuse. Read up on the UN
Global Compact and the World Trade Organisation's set of guidelines
to check standards.
- Investigate your suppliers and their suppliers
- Ensure that all the people involved in your product are working
to decent labour standards
- Compare standards with the UN Global Compact and World Trade
Organisation guidelines
How to do it
Ensuring that everyone involved in your business and its
products is working in conditions that meet ethical standards is
not always easy. You need to make thorough inspections of the
factories and businesses you source from or use overseas, and
ideally have someone working there that you can trust to maintain
sufficient standards. If that's not possible, contact Oxfam to find
out which ethical certifications are the best to look for when
choosing suppliers and businesses in other countries.
- Make inspections of factories and business
- Employ someone to check standards abroad
- Speak to Oxfam to find out about ethical certifications
Talk to UK Trade & Investment who can offer a range
of support and will put you in touch with your local trade advisor.
Visit their website for a wealth of practical information and a
guide to what High Growth
Markets present the best opportunities
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