eti-ten eti-ten
eti-ten
Home
Ethical Trade conference
Media Centre
Ethical Trade champions
Ethical Trade - the first decade
Be an ethical pest
Ethical Trading Guide For Retailers
 
 
 
 

Ethical trading tips for buyers

Know your suppliers – cut out the middle man and where possible, develop long-term, direct relationships with your suppliers. This will help you build the trust and leverage you need to help make sustained improvements to workers’ conditions.

Incentivise your suppliers. Make sure compliance with labour standards is built into your contracts with your suppliers, so they know you mean business. Reward them for their efforts with repeat orders.

Get your buyers to ‘think worker’. Educate your buyers about the impact of their decisions on workers, and make sure they include ethical criteria alongside cost and quality when selecting suppliers.

Improve production planning. Deciding to change an entire line of t-shirts from pink to blue when production has already started can mean workers are forced to work excessive hours in their efforts to complete orders on time. Give suppliers clear and predictable lead times, making it easier for them to ensure their employees work predictable and reasonable hours.

Look at the price you pay your suppliers. At the very least, make sure that it allows your suppliers to pay their workers a wage that they can afford to live on.

 

Back to "Ethical trade guidance for retailers"

printer friendly version

 

eti-ten
  eti-ten