"It was very dusty.. the sweat dripping of the end of your nose by time you were half way through, then when you were coming home you didn't have energy to have a wash properly.."
"All companies sourcing from China must work far harder to meet their responsibilities towards the workers making their products, whatever the product."
"In the South African context, it's important not to force people to do things. It's about wooing people, building trusting relationships and winning over their confidence."
"Creating widespread, sustainable change for workers - particularly in the current global economic climate - is a tough challenge, but it must always be our focus. I am convinced that our new approach will help us realise this."
Would it not be more sustainable if compliance with standards came through normal collective bargaining, rather than through inspection and corrective actions?
Are some buyers too soft with suppliers and putting their company reputations at risk? Or are others just plain unreasonable in their expectations of the time it takes to resolve issues effectively?
As one conference participant said: "People think that because they might have to spend £200 on a Goretex jacket the industry must be swimming with money. That's just not the case. In many cases we're talking about lifestyle businesses that are operating on a survival basis."
World Day for Decent Work was on 7 October. Ben Moxham of the UK Trades Union Congress tells us why it's so important, and what progress is being made towards it in today's tough economic climate.
For many companies - perhaps smaller ones, or those who are just starting out in ethical trade - the ideal of full integration between ethics and core business practices may seem overwhelming. Here are a few tips to get you started.
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