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"Charity wristbands 'made in sweatshops'
Wristbands made to raise awareness of the Make Poverty History campaign have been produced in Chinese factories which violated ethical standards.
The fashionable white wristbands, worn by celebrities and politicians including Tony Blair and Coldplay's Chris Martin, were made for a coalition of charities as the symbol of their worldwide 2005 campaign to end extreme poverty.
Oxfam, Christian Aid and Cafod are amongst those charities selling the wristbands, made in rubber and fabric, at £1 each.
Audit reports on two Chinese factories producing the bands have shown standards fell below the Ethical Trading Initiative.
Tat Shing Rubber Manufacturing Company, in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, was accused of "forced labour" by taking financial deposits, poor health and safety provision, long hours, unpaid overtime and no right to freedom of association, in the April 2005 audit.
An audit report on Fuzhou Xing Chun Trade Company, in Fujian province, included workers being paid below the local minimum hourly wage of 2.39 yuan (16p), down to 1.39 yuan (9p) in some cases, overtime work not being paid properly and with hours beyond the legal limit, no paid annual leave, no guarantee of a day off per week, and workers being deducted for disciplinary reasons.
A spokeswoman for Cafod, which bought 120,000 rubber bands from the Tat Shing factory, said it was "concerned that labour standards weren't as good as we would have expected especially as we were buying as part of this campaign."
Oxfam bought 10,000 silicon wristbands from Tat Shing in November last year, none of which have been sold, but found another supplier while waiting to receive the firm's audit.
Oxfam then ordered 1.5 million wristbands from Fuzhou Xing Chun Trade Company after the failings highlighted in its audit had been addressed.
A spokesman for Oxfam said: "Like the rest of the Make Poverty History coalition, Oxfam is concerned about the ethical audits that have come back on the Chinese factories lined up to supply white bands and we have agreed formal action plans to address the concerns raised which have been carried out.
"We can reassure people wanting to support the campaign that all white bands sold in Oxfam shops meet the standards of our ethical purchasing practices."
A spokesman for Christian Aid, which has bought more than 500,000 wristbands from Tat Shing, said: "There is no hint of a disagreement within the agencies on this. At Christian Aid we stand four-square beside our partners within the Make Poverty History Campaign."
Sandbag, a Berkshire-based marketing company which deals with the Fuzhou factory, was not available to comment."
Wristbands made to raise awareness of the Make Poverty History campaign have been produced in Chinese factories which violated ethical standards.
The fashionable white wristbands, worn by celebrities and politicians including Tony Blair and Coldplay's Chris Martin, were made for a coalition of charities as the symbol of their worldwide 2005 campaign to end extreme poverty.
Oxfam, Christian Aid and Cafod are amongst those charities selling the wristbands, made in rubber and fabric, at £1 each.
Audit reports on two Chinese factories producing the bands have shown standards fell below the Ethical Trading Initiative.
Tat Shing Rubber Manufacturing Company, in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, was accused of "forced labour" by taking financial deposits, poor health and safety provision, long hours, unpaid overtime and no right to freedom of association, in the April 2005 audit.
An audit report on Fuzhou Xing Chun Trade Company, in Fujian province, included workers being paid below the local minimum hourly wage of 2.39 yuan (16p), down to 1.39 yuan (9p) in some cases, overtime work not being paid properly and with hours beyond the legal limit, no paid annual leave, no guarantee of a day off per week, and workers being deducted for disciplinary reasons.
A spokeswoman for Cafod, which bought 120,000 rubber bands from the Tat Shing factory, said it was "concerned that labour standards weren't as good as we would have expected especially as we were buying as part of this campaign."
Oxfam bought 10,000 silicon wristbands from Tat Shing in November last year, none of which have been sold, but found another supplier while waiting to receive the firm's audit.
Oxfam then ordered 1.5 million wristbands from Fuzhou Xing Chun Trade Company after the failings highlighted in its audit had been addressed.
A spokesman for Oxfam said: "Like the rest of the Make Poverty History coalition, Oxfam is concerned about the ethical audits that have come back on the Chinese factories lined up to supply white bands and we have agreed formal action plans to address the concerns raised which have been carried out.
"We can reassure people wanting to support the campaign that all white bands sold in Oxfam shops meet the standards of our ethical purchasing practices."
A spokesman for Christian Aid, which has bought more than 500,000 wristbands from Tat Shing, said: "There is no hint of a disagreement within the agencies on this. At Christian Aid we stand four-square beside our partners within the Make Poverty History Campaign."
Sandbag, a Berkshire-based marketing company which deals with the Fuzhou factory, was not available to comment."
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Goatboy wrote:
> Why buy a wristband instead of donating regularly?
> Is it because a donation isn't something you can preen about and
> display as a sign of your compassion to strangers in the street?
Goes back to the good deed thing we were talking about. Some do whatever to be rewarded. Others just do it because it's right.
> Why buy a wristband instead of donating regularly?
> Is it because a donation isn't something you can preen about and
> display as a sign of your compassion to strangers in the street?
Goes back to the good deed thing we were talking about. Some do whatever to be rewarded. Others just do it because it's right.
H@lo^ wrote:
> good point, they look tacky as well, but if its raising money for a
> good cause there can't be much harm in that, right?
I'll let you know after I'm come back from my Greenpeace Homeless Hunt.
> good point, they look tacky as well, but if its raising money for a
> good cause there can't be much harm in that, right?
I'll let you know after I'm come back from my Greenpeace Homeless Hunt.
good point, they look tacky as well, but if its raising money for a good cause there can't be much harm in that, right? Although it's society thats hit rock bottom and created "something in return for charity." Talk about contradiction, Shameful.
Why buy a wristband instead of donating regularly?
Is it because a donation isn't something you can preen about and display as a sign of your compassion to strangers in the street?
Is it because a donation isn't something you can preen about and display as a sign of your compassion to strangers in the street?
How ironic, at least the whole company isn't made in sweatshops :/
They should write "make obesity history" on them and market them as belts.
Directly from Ted Turner.
Where can I buy my "Make Obscene Wealth History" wristband from?
gamesfreak wrote:
> Never seen the point in them anyway.
>
> People will have them running up their arm till their shoulders.
> Which will then cut off the circulation of blood to their arm,
> leading to arm amputation.
>
> The irony of the fact? There'll be a "Support the armless"
> band out before you can say "Oh my god!"
Ahaha!
Me and my friends were discussing that exact point.
> Never seen the point in them anyway.
>
> People will have them running up their arm till their shoulders.
> Which will then cut off the circulation of blood to their arm,
> leading to arm amputation.
>
> The irony of the fact? There'll be a "Support the armless"
> band out before you can say "Oh my god!"
Ahaha!
Me and my friends were discussing that exact point.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"
or something.
or something.
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