Morrisons go it alone

Despite the long absence, this piece of recent news from Henry McDonald at the Guardian the exited us so much that we just had to post.

Morrisson’s the supermarket are the first UK based company to sign up to a new scheme called Fair Working Conditions, a very long overdue system set up to provide companies with an independent audit of their suppliers – much like I assume a broader version of FairTrade certification.

Provoked by a recent comment on our Pentland post, once again at Responsable we have been lamenting the inability of the consumer to validate ethical claims made by individual companies, having a sense that surely we would not have to wait too much longer for an independent auditting company to come to the marketplace. Well, maybe, finally, it is here.  We’re routing for you FWC, here’s hoping you get many more sign-ups.

Beauty and Dignity

Well, after a long summer break it really is time to touch base, and where better than with a couple of great new initiatives that I came across?

The first, a lovely company called Saree, who make beautiful, Indian style clothes at reasonable prices, with strong personal relationships throughout the supply chain, with the designers, tailors and silk producers in India. Worlds apart from the grim conditions you often read about in this industry, this company shows how proper working conditions, good products and affordable prices can successfully go hand in hand.

I made my purchase and was handed my wares in a fantastic bag. I know there are now all sorts of alternatives to the common plastic carrier bag, but I was really taken by this one. It was made simply of newspaper, stuck very accurately with selotape, with soft cotton string handles. The sticker on it explained that it had been made by blind trainees of the technical training institute of the Poona Blind Men’s Association. So here we have a product that not only ticks the environmental box on several counts, but also provides work and dignity, where they might otherwise be hard to come by. Hats off!