Introduction
The 21st century has seen an incredible rise in the number and variety of goods available to consumers. Companies can now source their products from all over the world, opening up a new world of possibilities for everything from toys to technology. But with this abundance comes a responsibility: how do we ensure that the products we purchase are ethical?
Sourcing from developing markets
- Sourcing from developing markets is an important part of your ethical sourcing strategy.
- You should be aware of the labor conditions in developing countries and the companies that support unethical practices.
- Ethical sourcing may not always be possible.
Sourcing from countries with poor labor conditions
There are many reasons to source ethically. First, it’s the right thing to do. Second, it makes good business sense because consumers are increasingly demanding more transparency from brands about where their products are made and how they’re made.
But what if you can’t source ethically? There are still ways for you to ensure that your products don’t contribute to human rights abuses or environmental degradation by using our guide below!
Sourcing from companies that support unethical practices
As you begin the process of sourcing products for your company, it’s important to be aware of how certain products are manufactured. As a consumer, you may be accustomed to buying from companies that support unethical practices and don’t care about the welfare of their workers or environment. However, as an ethical business owner, it’s important for you not only understand what makes up an ethical supply chain but also how these suppliers can impact your business in both positive and negative ways.
When looking into potential new suppliers or existing ones further down the line (for example: if one supplier goes out of business), make sure they have good working conditions, fair pay rates and reasonable hours worked per week (if applicable). If they don’t have these things listed on their website/contract documents then ask them directly! If they refuse then move on – there are plenty more fish in sea 🙂
When ethical sourcing is not possible
There are times when it’s not possible to source ethically. Here’s an example:
Suppose you want to buy a new car. But the only place that sells cars is in China, where they don’t have any regulations about pollution or safety standards or anything like that. So what do you do? You could go ahead and buy the car anyway and hope that nothing bad happens while driving it around town (and probably wondering whether your lungs will be okay), but this would be unethical because there was literally no way for you to get an ethically sourced vehicle at that time and place in history.
The importance of ethical sourcing
Ethical sourcing is important for the health and safety of workers, for the environment, for your company’s reputation, and for its ability to compete in the marketplace.
There are many reasons why ethical sourcing is so important:
- Ethical sourcing ensures that workers are treated fairly by their employers. This means that they receive fair wages; work in safe conditions; have access to education and training; are not subject to discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation; have freedom of association rights (the right to organize unions); can communicate with each other freely without fear of retaliation from management; do not experience forced labor or human trafficking at any point during their employment relationship with a company (or after leaving).
- Ethical sourcing also protects our planet by reducing pollution caused by poor working conditions at factories overseas–some examples include dangerous chemicals being used without proper ventilation equipment available inside factories where clothes are made; toxic dust particles released into air outside factories when clothes dryers operate all day long without breaks; polluted runoff water entering nearby rivers after washing facilities overflow due to high demand during busy seasons like back-to-school sales months.*
Ethical sourcing is important.
Ethical sourcing is important for the environment, for employees and consumers, and for the economy.
It’s also very much a global issue.
Conclusion
Ethical sourcing is a key component of corporate responsibility. As a company that deals in luxury goods, it is important for us to know where our products are made and how they are treated. We can only make informed decisions about whether or not we want to continue working with certain suppliers if we have all the facts about their practices in place before making any decisions about them. It may seem difficult at first glance because there are so many factors involved when choosing an ethical supplier; however, through adequate research and communication between departments within our company, we are able to find the right balance between cost savings and social responsibility without compromising either one too much (or at all).
