Report on Supply Chain Compliance 3, no. 23 (December 10, 2020)

An article in the BBC News^[1] described forced labor conditions in South Asia—primarily south India—in supply chains linked to major global fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren and Marks & Spencer. The article interviewed women working in the industry, all of whom declined to name themselves in order to avoid repercussions, who detailed abuse and forced labor conditions at the hands of their employers.

Companies with global value chains will definitely face challenges ensuring that every shop connected with their product is treating workers properly. With billions of dollars in revenue, however, global companies should achieve supply chain transparency and work diligently toward equity and sustainability.

1 Rajini Vaidyanathan, “Indian factory workers supplying major brands allege routine exploitation,” BBC News, November 17, 2020, https://bbc.in/3g1k7KN.

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