Is Apple’s response to workers conditions good enough?

So Apple have announced the biggest audit of the conditions of its supply chain factories of its kind.  They are the first phone manufacturer to sign up to the Fair Labour Association (FLA).  Staff working in Foxconn, the factory used by Apple in China, have had pay rises, in some cases trebling pay over three years to 1,800 – 2,400 yuan a month, which is about £180 to £240.  First reports are that the factories are nice and clean.  The full report is due out in March and we wait with interest to see all the details.  At least something is being done, so can I breathe a sigh of relief?

Well, scratch a little deeper and you’ll see that the FLA have been involved with, up to now, audits of garment factories.  This is a sector with the most appalling reputation in many developing countries.  A computer factory is always going to be cleaner, as computers have to be made in the most sterile environment or they won’t work.

Photo: Mike Clarke/AFP/Getty Images

ABC News’ Nightline TV programme in the US last night showed a documentary on the conditions of workers in an Apple factory.  The factory line is portrayed in its soulless and sterile state.  The workers are completely silent and the only voices are robotic.  The latest news is that Foxconn are considering investing millions in robotic automation.  I guess these robots won’t threaten to jump off the factory roofs, their legs won’t swell after standing for 14 hour shifts and they won’t be requiring social justice anytime soon.

How effective are the audits? The most publicised supplier up to now that has used FLA services is Nike, after a similar spate of bad publicity surrounding its workforce practice.   Their latest audit report reveals that there are still areas of health and safety and social security issues to be addressed.  So improvements take time.  Nike have a target of being fully compliant by 2013.

The supply chain of suffering extends to the Congo, where the highly toxic mineral, Coltan, core to the mobile phone industry, is mined often using child labour who die from disease, starvation and unsafe working conditions.

There are higher standards to aim for than the absence of cruelty and the meeting of basic human rights.   The ISO 26000 produced last year exhorts all businesses to show dignity and respect for their workers.  These things can’t be measured by a tickbox.

Voluntary standards have been adopted by other sectors. The Equator Principles introduced by the banking sector has raised awareness of environmental and social issues amongst businesses.  The Courtauld Agreement has members from  the retail sector who agreed to reduce their packaging.  This has had the result of avoiding over 1.2 million tonnes of food and packaging going to landfill.  I would like to see a similar pact amongst those producing computers and phones to reduce the mining impacts.  Fairtrade reduced the chemicals used in coffee production by 80%.  Let’s call on Apple to do the same for the mining of minerals used in hi- tech industries.

Apple have chosen an evocative image for its brand, all shiny, smelling of New York bustle and American home baked pies. Now the challenge is for Apple to embody the qualities that it so successfully projects.

I, as an Apple user, want to know that my phone is made with the least environmental damage and by a happy workforce. I’d like my phone maker to appear in the top environmental and ethical companies. I want to know that some of their lovely profit is being ploughed back into the communities who produce their polished products. I’d like a Coltan free phone, can Apple lead the way on this? When I sit down with a Fairtrade coffee to make a call I want to know that I am making a positive difference to someone’s life with my phone as well as my coffee.  Is that too much to ask?

If you are asking how your company can be the most ethically responsible it can be, contact Giles@greenbananamarketing.com.  Green Banana Marketing has worked with socially responsible brands like Fairtrade and understands that companies need to practice what they promote and lead by example.  Achieving high ethical and sustainable standards is a journey and Green Banana Marketing is producing step-by-step guides to help you get to your destination. Ask us how.

Giles Robertson is the founder of Green Banana Marketing Ltd and Chairman of the Marketing Society Charity Group.

Posted 22 February 2012 | No comments

Emerging countries innovating could be our sustainable key

You don’t often leave a day’s conference with a Trashion bag made from recycled packaging. This was part of ‘turning waste into style’, one of Unilever’s initiatives harnessing local Indonesian creativity and creating 25 fashion lines from waste packaging.

Unilever’s Keith Weed pledged at The Marketing Society’s Annual Conference to halve emissions from his 4,000 products (as diverse as Marmite and Dove soap) by 2020. Who can blame him for injecting some creativity into embedding sustainability – it is now core to Unilever’s business. The scale of the challenge is clear with 68% of emissions coming from product use.

Imagining tomorrow’s products is one of their approaches (think Comfort’s One Rinse detergent which needs less water to wash clothes) alongside working with the right ‘expert’ NGO partners to help them on their journey.

As the global population booms and we see a shift of power from G7 to E7 countries, Keith said it is important for companies to be transparent (as people are increasingly interested in companies) and to be honest with what is achievable (if the whole planet lived like we do in the West we would need an extra three planets to support us).
The International Airlines Group CEO, Willie Walsh claimed reducing emissions could be achieved through the use of biomass plants to create aviation fuel and by rationalising air traffic control into one system, allegedly saving 12% of CO.  Perhaps more leadership in driving such innovation through to a workable proposal is needed from Willie himself?

Emerging economies such as Indian, China and Brazil are also key to addressing global sustainability.  Dr Tim Lucas from Sao Paolo’s The Listening Agency talked about Brazil’s uniqueness  – on track to be the fifth largest economy. Brands are respected and a fierce class hierarchy exists which has driven many companies to have sub brands to co-exist in completely different parts of town.  Perhaps a shared approach to product sustainability and recycling could unify company approaches- something few brands have attempted.

Ajayan Gopinathan from The Philosophers Stone discussed Indian’s motivations and desires. The world’s third largest economy is clearly enjoying a boom. 32% of the population are under 15 years of age and kid’s parent pester power is king when it comes to certain brands. Young people think they can do anything, an energy brands could harness for the good of the people and the planet.

Brands new to this market need to touch people with narrative stories that fuse cultures in sensitive and real ways. Indians are people oriented and very proud of their country.  Over 865 million have mobile phones and there are 400 TV channels – many of them local.

We’ve learnt from our work in emerging markets like China and Brazil that people care deeply about sustainability.  Companies who tailor their approach supported with on the ground projects making a real difference, stand to be part of the country’s fabric for the next decade.

Posted 30 November 2011 | No comments

Engage with climate change today to be more competitive tomorrow

It is comforting to know that although climate change has been pushed to the back pages of the newspapers, sustainability and climate change are still embraced by some and innovation led by others, as we heard at the Climate Week Stakeholder Reception and the Unilever sustainable living debate last week. 
There is desire that the Durban UN climate talks, beginning today (the 17th Conference of the Parties, ‘Cop17’), result in our government adopting a clear roadmap.

Interesting themes came from the discussions about what companies could and potentially should be doing with regard to sustainability and climate change at The Climate Week Reception and the Unilever sustainable living debate last week.

The Rt Hon John Gummer said companies should aspire to be forward thinking, linking with the next generation of businesses. They need to commit themselves to real and tangible on-the-ground activity as part of society’s response to climate change. As Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever said, companies more in touch with society by definition have a greater chance than their competitors for longer-term success (and survival). Tackling climate change is vital for future markets and emerging economies, increasingly important as Western companies look to South America, Asia and Africa for opportunities as their economies suffer.

Engaging with youths was seen as another way of getting involved, highlighted by Tony Juniper (Special advisor to Prince of Wales Sustainability Unit). When companies use powerful examples of their work, it can reconnect the current ‘disconnect’ between society and the environment, too often felt by many young people, and spread through communities like wildfire.

He further emphasised the need for forward thinking companies to engage with on the ground people and projects. A line of thinking that was also echoed in the Unilever discussion by Malina Mehra, CEO of Centre for Social Markets, who stressed the importance of creating an inter-generational dialogue when companies craft an approach to sustainability.

Increasingly, companies are looking to external bodies to help them achieve their climate change and sustainability goals.  Companies often look to specialist climate change experts within charities who have the credibility and on the ground projects to make an effective partner.

It may be time to discover how your organisation can do more in the pursuit of an innovation led sustainable business, which should help secure your future.

Posted 28 November 2011 | No comments

Poles apart – the slippery art of media climate scepticism

Launching at my client the British Council, the report was never going to be a ‘one size fits all’ in this ambitious report looking at climate scepticism in the world’s media (well big chunks of it including Brazil, China, France, India, the UK and the USA).

The economic downturn has been a diversion away from media reporting on climate change. The related issue about the lack of any media reporting on climate change was noted and that when it is reported, Climate scepticism seems to make for a better headline.

The world is a much tougher place for anything to do with the environment or climate change – not just with news coverage, but for funding and advocacy work.  Many organisations have moved CSR and sustainability to be part of product innovation (looking at supply chain and procurement). The focus is now on hard sales. All this is an important backdrop for the British media (and its increasingly negative reporting).

The launch by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (executive summary can be downloaded here) examined 3,000 articles from two newspapers in each country. It was really the tip of the media iceberg without looking at broadcast media and the direct roles of world leaders such as Obama, Sarkosy and Cameron.

The Anglo Saxon media are the most climate sceptic (The Express had the most at 50%) followed by the US, who are twice as wedded to fossil fuels.

In contract the French media have a deep-rooted trust of scientists and therefore do not question as much (the facts speak for themselves with their 80% reliance on nuclear).

It is also interesting that China’s media tend not to question the science but to focus on what can be done to deal with climate change.  Maybe there’s something to learn from them?

One wonders where newsrooms editors can go with climate change – the discourse seems to have been locked out while Rome burns.

Posted 14 November 2011 | 2 comments

Higher tuition fees will kill entrepreneurialism

Ever increasing student debts are beginning to affect the entrepreneurial spirit of our next generation. Students leaving university with up to £38,000 of debt (tuition fees are set to rise to a maximum of £9,000) will not foster a spirit of entrepreneurialism. It’s a far cry from the £1,000 overdraft I left with in 1991.

The higher fees worry me for two reasons. The higher fees mean only the more affluent will attend Uni and many less well off (but equally capable) students will be deterred by the increase in fees. A great swathe of future Bill Gates will be missed (and he has mentioned the importance of his university education). The genuinely talented may just miss the opportunity to develop their skills. We know two of the highest profile entrepreneurs – Lord Sugar and Sir Richard Branson – made it without a degree (but starting your career by selling car aerials out of a van is not for everyone).

Secondly, more sponsorship opportunities will become available to students, which itself may become a barrier to the spirit of entrepreneurialism. Graduates will increasingly be contracted to work for their sponsoring company for a set period of time (and rather like women tied into maternity pay, may not want to break the contract). Life for graduates will become a higher rental agreement. Some firms are even offering to pay for post A level training schemes as an alternative to Uni, which claims to train people to the same level as if they went to Uni (again tying them into a firm and preventing potential entrepreneurs going for it).

Students starting in 1998 didn’t have to pay tuition fees and means tested grants of up to £1,710 were available. Graduates left university without high student debts and were more able to take risks if they so desired and pursue endeavours for entrepreneurial success.

In contrast students applying in 2012 will graduate shouldering a large debt. It’s difficult to raise the funds and support to set up a business, which makes working for someone else a more appealing option.

Unis are not for everyone and it doesn’t guarantee a bright future. But everyone should have a chance. Lord Sugar hypothetically wouldn’t have benefited from being tied into a ten-year higher payment scheme for his first van.

Posted 9 November 2011 | No comments

Celebrating WWF’s 50 years of great marketing

As WWF, one of the world’s most recognised and trusted environmental organisations, celebrates its half-century we look back at its marketing successes.

Great marketing and campaigns have helped define WWF’s place in the 21^st century from the early 60’s, moving   sustainability from the fringes to the mainstream of public debate. In 1961 when WWF was formed the Daily Mirror published a front page about the dire situation facing endangered species, bringing the charities work to the public’s attention for the first time.

More recently Earth Hour has become an annual event, launching in 2007 in Sydney (2.2 million participants and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change). A year later, it became a global movement with over 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness.

In 2007 British endurance swimmer and WWF ambassador Lewis Pugh became the first person to swim at the North Pole in order to highlight the rapid melting of the Arctic sea ice and to urge UK carbon emissions targets to be improved. It was a serious stunt to highlight a serious issue, as Pugh braved temperatures of minus -1.8ºC the coldest waters ever swum by a human.

In 2009 the Pandamonium exhibition saw the iconic image of the WWF panda transformed in a fresh contemporary twist. The familiar panda collection boxes were retired in 2007 but had a second life as artists and designers including Sir Peter Blake, Tracey Emin and Paul Smith turned them into unique art pieces on the theme of climate change. The pieces were then auctioned at Selfridges.

WWF’s web and social media involve the public in huge variety of issues. The 135,000 unique users each month prove that the Panda’s appeal is enduring.  Simple and accessible, ‘The Panda Made Me Do It’ site offers the chance for individuals and organisations to choose activities from adopting, sponsoring, signing petitions, campaigning and taking part in the Blue Mile and then sharing their experiences via Facebook and Twitter.

With the One Planet Olympics, WWF teamed up with the organisers of London 2012 Olympics to promote global awareness of sustainability. WWF enters its 51^st year helping deliver a sustainable 2012 Olympic games – minimising their impact on the planet. Well done to Team Panda for a good first innings.

As WWF, one of the world’s most recognised and trusted environmental organisations, celebrates its half-century we look back at its marketing successes.  Great marketing and campaigns have helped define WWF’s place in the 21^st century from the early 60’s, moving sustainability from the fringes to the mainstream of public debate. In 1961 when WWF was formed the Daily Mirror published a front page about the dire situation facing endangered species, bringing the charities work to the public’s attention for the first time.

More recently Earth Hour has become an annual event, launching in 2007 in Sydney (2.2 million participants and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change). A year later, it became a global movement with over 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness.

In 2007 British endurance swimmer and WWF ambassador Lewis Pugh became the first person to swim at the North Pole in order to highlight the rapid melting of the Arctic sea ice and to urge UK carbon emissions targets to be improved. It was a serious stunt to highlight a serious issue, as Pugh braved temperatures of minus -1.8ºC the coldest waters ever swum by a human.

In 2009 the Pandamonium exhibition saw the iconic image of the WWF panda transformed in a fresh contemporary twist. The familiar panda collection boxes were retired in 2007 but had a second life as artists and designers including Sir Peter Blake, Tracey Emin and Paul Smith turned them into unique art pieces on the theme of climate change. The pieces were then auctioned at Selfridges.

WWF’s web and social media involve the public in huge variety of issues. The 135,000 unique users each month prove that the Panda’s appeal is enduring.  Simple and accessible, ‘The Panda Made Me Do It’ site offers the chance for individuals and organisations to choose activities from adopting, sponsoring, signing petitions, campaigning and taking part in the Blue Mile and then sharing their experiences via Facebook and Twitter.

With the One Planet Olympics, WWF teamed up with the organisers of London 2012 Olympics to promote global awareness of sustainability. WWF enters its 51^st year helping deliver a sustainable 2012 Olympic games – minimising their impact on the planet. Well done to Team Panda for a good first innings.

Posted 18 July 2011 | No comments

Future of fishing: last chance to save fish stocks

In my capacity as Trustee of the Marine Conservation Society I attended the coalition of the UK’s leading environmental and conservation organisations, including WWF, Greenpeace, RSPB, Marine Conservation Society (MCS), ClientEarth, nef (new economics foundation), and OCEAN2012, response to the UK Government and the publication of the reform proposals. The coalition delivered their joint objectives for the Common Fisheries Policy to key decision-makers at the Zoological Society of London last night. The UK fisheries minister, Richard Benyon MP delivered the government’s response. Fisheries campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who led the FishFight campaign, responded in relation to discards.

• The current proposal fails to:

• Put the environment first for people’s sake

• Provide tools to reduce capacity in line with the available resources

• Make access to resources conditional on social and environmental criteria

The NGOs asked the UK Government to ensure a Common Fisheries Policy that delivers rather than undermines.  On behalf of the NGO coalition, Ian Campbell added:   “A reformed Common Fisheries Policy must establish a new way to distribute access to fish. Sustainability criteria should be used to rank access to resources, favouring those who employ methods which have the least impact on marine habitats and non-target species, are most selective, most fuel-efficient, and those who can demonstrate strong legal compliance and operate within and contribute to coastal communities.”

The groups said despite some positive measures, such as the commitment to stock recovery by 2015, there were too many shortcomings that if not addressed by Ministers and MEPs, could undermine any chance of meaningful reform.  A reformed CFP must:

• Put the environment first to make sure that fish stocks, the marine environment and fisheries can thrive

• Set legally binding sustainable fishing levels that cannot be exceeded by law-makers or fishers

• Eliminate discards

• Deliver transparent decision-making and reporting processes to measure performance

• Properly address the issue of overcapacity in the European fleet

Reacting to the Commission’s announcement, UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon MP said that his number one priority was eliminating discards and ensuring that the Marine Act overcame the many silos that are associated with fisheries policy and to deliver a reform of the ‘broken’ Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Debbie Crockard, Fisheries Policy Officer of the Marine Conservation Society said: “It is outrageous that we are paying for sound scientific advice to be conducted by world experts, only for it to be disregarded as the baseline for stock management. Scientific advice must be considered the most important driver for sustainable fisheries management.”

Posted 14 July 2011 | No comments

Vow campaign saves 10 million child brides

Plan UK is one of the largest child-centred development organisations in the world and has just launched their Vow campaign.  It aims to help 10 million girls from forced marriage, some as young as ten.  Children all over the world from Africa to parts of South America are being denied the chance to basic education and being left vulnerable to violence and death in childbirth. The problem is also closer to home where two million young girls were forced in to early marriage in Eastern Europe last year.

We have worked with Plan UK and support their work. They are calling the government to help end child marriage and we would encourage you to add your name to the petition now. Plan UK’s chief executive, Marie Staunton says ‘child marriage is one of the biggest development issues of our time’.

Posted 28 June 2011 | No comments

The Marine Conservation Society’s new Good Fish Guide launches

As a Trustee of MCS I am pleased to say that the excellent new Good Fish Guide has been launched – with a new print pocket Good Fish Guide here and new website.   A huge amount of work goes into assessing over 150 species and numerous stocks of each fish, drawing on myriad sources of information.  The pocket guide has already been downloaded many times by the public.  Now the work has been done, please do your bit for our seas. Fish are disappearing fast from our seas and you can make a difference by simply making more sustainable choices when buying seafood.

Despite the competition for media this week, there has been some good coverage about MSC new guide:-

Supermarkets criticised for ‘poor and confusing’ fish labelling

The Guardian - ‎May 4, 2011‎

Fish retail labels ‘inadequate’

BBC News - ‎May 4, 2011‎

Posted 7 May 2011 | No comments

British Council: New resource Climate4Classrooms.org launched

We were delighted with the launch of Climate4classrooms, a project we have been working on for over a year with The British Council, providing resources for schools in UK, China, Mexico and Indonesia,  as reported in The FINANCIAL below.

What is climate change?  How is it caused?  What could our future look like?  These questions and more are explored on a new website designed for teachers and students by three leading organisations due to be launched formally on 23 March to coincide with Climate Week. 

The Royal Meteorological Society, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and British Council have worked in partnership to provide schools, whether in the UK or internationally, with up-to-date scientific data about the world’s climatic system and projections that explore the potential impact of climate change at the national scale.

The free resource, piloted in the UK, China, Mexico and Indonesia, is the first website to use national level climate projections tailored to individual countries.  This allows teachers and students to see how their nations and others around the world might be affected by climate change and how they might adapt to and mitigate these changes.

Dr Rita Gardner, Director of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), said the website will help teachers be more confident in teaching the science and geography of climate change and its potential impact. “Many people are uncertain about climate change or see it as controversial, but it is vitally important that young people and their teachers have access to the most up-to-date and reliable climate science available.  A generation properly informed is a generation equipped to tackle the challenges of the future,” she said.

In the teaching resources, each module has clear learning outcomes, activity plans and student activity sheets.  Meanwhile, a ‘My Climate’ section allows schools to log in and upload their own case studies.
 Professor Paul Hardaker, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, said Climate4Classrooms was a welcome addition for teaching resources. “I know of nowhere else that brings together for schools the science of climate change, the ability to examine what it might mean for national climates and helps explore the challenges of finding both global and local solutions,” he said.  “Not only will it be valuable for any classroom in any country to make use of, but it also offers an exciting opportunity to promote greater exchange and dialogue between students and classrooms across the globe on a topic that is of importance to all of us.”

Schools in more than 50 countries across the world including Hong Kong, Colombia, Russia and Ireland, have already accessed the website and investigated national and global future environmental scenarios as well as possible solutions.

Posted 18 April 2011 | 3 comments