How can you assure me that I should still shop at Primark?
Primark is committed to improving the lives of workers who make our clothes - and here’s why:
- Primark buys from third parties, which are often exactly the same factories used by other fashion retailers
- Primark has a Code of Conduct which is based on the Ethical Trade Initiative (“ETI”) of which Primark is a member (since May 2006).
- Primark carries out hundreds of audits (i.e. special inspections to ensure our stringent standards are being met) every year by our own regional based Ethical Trade Managers and by SGS (an independent, third party, world renowned auditor). (In 2007 we carried out over 322 audits – including 146 follow up audits. 38% of our initial audits to date have been unannounced, and the rest take place between set dates that are far enough apart to ensure bad practice can’t be hidden away
- Primark highlights any shortcomings and works with the factories to resolve any issues. We then re-inspect the factories. Currently there is a 75% improvement rate on the first re-inspection. Persistent failure to comply with our standards is not acceptable
Still want to know more? You can read more about Primark’s ethical policies in the following links:
Is Primark an ethical company?
Yes, absolutely, Primark is an ethical organisation. Primark accepts its responsibilities and will acknowledge its failings. We have never made grand ethical statements, but believe that ethics and commerce are inextricably linked and actions speak louder than words. Primark invests heavily in the developing world – we pay our suppliers in 30 days, unlike some of our competitors that take over 100 days to pay.
We believe in our Code of Conduct and have made it part of our business practice – it’s not just a badge.
Primark sources clothes from the same suppliers as other high street and top fashion retailers.
How do you know that your suppliers have the same ethical standards as you?
Primark is an ethical business that demands the highest standards from its suppliers. It has a strict Supplier Code of Conduct which it expects all its suppliers to adhere to. Primark also undertakes hundreds of audits every year by its own regional based Ethical Trade Managers and by SGS (an independent, third party, world renowned auditor). Primark will also be appointing a highly reputable NGO as a partner in Southern India to act as the eyes and ears continually investigating how and where garments are made to identify any malpractices.
Do you regularly drop suppliers for ethical reasons, even if this potentially costs workers their jobs?
It is rare and absolutely the last resort for Primark to stop buying from a supplier. We prefer to work with our suppliers to improve their standards and sacking them is a last resort.
Primark works with in excess of 400 suppliers around the world and is currently working with just over half of these to improve standards and conditions. Currently there is a 75% improvement rate on the first re-inspection. Over the last 3 years Primark has stopped buying from only 1 other factory for breaking its Code of Conduct and failing to meet its strict ethical standards.
However, we will not compromise on standards, nor will we tolerate a relationship that isn’t based on trust and transparency.
In addition, existing orders placed with the factories in question will be completed strictly in accordance with our Code of Conduct.
What have you done about this to make sure it doesn’t happen again?
We will appoint a highly reputable NGO in Southern India as a partner to act as a pair of extra eyes and ears on the streets, searching out evidence of bad practice and to identify any unauthorised sub-contracting from the ground-up. We are currently engaged in interviewing candidates and an announcement will be made in due course.
We’ll tighten the audit process.
We have summoned all suppliers to meetings where they’ll hear how determined we are on this issue – and what will happen to them if they transgress in future.
Primark supports some 2 million people through its supply contracts worth £700 million and is dedicated to improving their standard of living and quality of life. Primark has established the ‘Primark Better Lives Foundation’ which will provide financial assistance to organisations devoted to improving the lives of young people including those identified by Panorama. In addition to the initial funding Primark is endowing the Foundation with any profits made from the affected garments. The Foundation will also help anyone who becomes unemployed as a result of Primark’s decision to stop buying from these factories.
We’ll review these standards / processes regularly for ways of improving further.
Do you use children to make your clothes?
Absolutely not. Primark is an ethical business that demands the highest standards from its suppliers. It has a strict Supplier Code of Conduct which expressly bans the use of child labour. Under no circumstances would Primark ever knowingly permit the use of child labour whether directly through its suppliers or through third party subcontractors.
Do you use sweatshops?
Absolutely not. The factories we buy from are not sweatshops. These approved factories are bright, modern buildings, which are fully computerised with huge work forces. Many have crèches, medical facilities, canteens and places of worship.
How can Primark sell its clothes so cheaply?
Primark’s prices are low because we don’t rip off our customers. Most of our clothes are bought from the same factories as other fashion retailers and people producing them are paid exactly the same whatever the label and whatever the price in the shop. We are able to offer good value and good quality because of low mark-ups and big volumes. We use simple designs, our overhead costs are extremely low and we don’t run expensive advertising campaigns. (Primark’s motto: “look good, pay less”)
How can I trust you to protect garment workers rights?
All the factories we buy from have to sign up to our strict Code of Conduct which is rigorously enforced. We are an ethical business and take the protection of workers’ rights very seriously. We require all the factories we buy from to pay their people fairly, to ensure they do not work excessive hours, have decent working conditions and rights and that no child labour is used.
Do your suppliers pay their workers less for making Primark garments?
No – the people working in the factories we buy from are paid the same regardless of whose label is on the garment.
Why are the workers paid such low wages?
Wages reflect the local cost of living, not the rates paid in the developed world where costs are much higher. Paying unrealistically high wages would quickly make these factories too expensive and they would lose business, putting people out of work.
So what’s the alternative to low paid work in these factories?
The alternative to factory work is no work or agriculture (and the wages for jobs on the land are between 50% to 33% less than those of garment workers).
Some of the poorest countries encourage the garment trade. This also provides incentive to manufacturers, but the downside is that they don’t have the resources to regulate it.
The garment trade is also very important in the empowerment of women. The majority of the workers in the factories are women which allows them to become a reliable wage earner and become the chief breadwinner.
The garment trade is the first rung on a journey of industrialisation. The UK went through the industrial revolution 200 years ago – but theirs is a lot softer – with good working conditions in the factories!
Do you allow home working?
Primark are active members of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) - supported National Homeworks Group in India and has developed a Home Working Policy, which is in line with the recommendations in the ETI Homeworker guidelines.
How does the developing world benefit from Primark?
There are many reasons why the developing world can benefit:
People in the developing world benefit from the ability to trade with companies like Primark: the result for them is a higher standard of living and a better quality of life. Primark supports some 2 million people through its supply contracts.
Primark does not make its own clothes, nor do we employ the factory workers directly. We use factories around the developing world to make our clothes including countries such as India and China and we buy from them. We source our clothes from the same suppliers as other high street retailers.
Trade is far better than aid in increasing the standard of living in the developing world. As an example of the significance of this trade to the development of these countries, Cambodia and Bangladesh derive over 80% of their foreign earnings from their garment industries.
Why don’t you state on your labels where your clothes are made?
We don’t say where our clothes were made because we often buy similar designs from several countries. It’s also not a legislative requirement, and our customers have not requested it.
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