Sourcing practices at odds with compliance goals

This story from the Financial Times gives a bit more information about Nike's assertion that their business practices can exacerbate a factory's ability to meet compliance goals.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d609cf9e-a434-11e1-84b1-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1z67lVImy

If Brands are really interested in making improvements to working conditions in their supply chain, they need to take a long hard look at their own sourcing practices.
Maybe if I say this long enough and loud enough, someone might take notice.

1000 workers riot in Foxconn factory.

I was having dinner last night with a good friend who's opinions I value. He said that I come across in this blog as a bit of an Apple hater and that I should tone it down.  If anyone else thinks this then I apologize. Apple is no worse than any other US brand making in China. My goal here is not to vilify Apple so much, rather it is to point out some obvious inadequacies in their Labor Compliance process.

Unless they focus on Root Causes, and Yes, that might mean taking a good look at their business practices, the improvements they say they will make will not happen anytime soon.
In a a recent article about 1000 workers in a Foxconn factory rioting, workers said the improvements promised are not happening. Whilst the reason for the riot was not labor related, tensions between management and workers remain high.

Here's a report from the Guardian outling recent investigations from SACOM, an NGO in Hong Kong

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/may/30/foxconn-abuses-despite-apple-reforms?newsfeed=true

I reiterate that unless Apple, or any other company engaged in Labor Compliance understands the probable impact that their business practices and sourcing decisions have on a factory's ability to meet their compliance objectives, they will fail to deliver on their promises.
Regards
Wally