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.

Apple, meet Nike.

Leonie Barrie of Juststyle has posted this news from Nike.
In it, there is a snippet of information that Apple may need to take notice of if they are to achieve their stated goal of resolving their overtime issues.

I quote, "But the company says in some areas "progress was slower than targeted," including the reduction of excessive overtime within factories. Crucially, 68% of excessive overtime incidents in 128 factories were found to be due to factors that Nike itself could influence".

68%, just in case you missed that.

So Apple, tell me again how you are going to manage this task if you are not taking a long hard look internally and addressing the  impacts of your own purchasing/sourcing practices.

Thank you Nike for bring this to their attention

Hello, is anyone in there?

In all of the statements Apple has made recently about its fair labor program and practices, I have not heard or seen once, any mention of their business practices impacting their factories' ability to meet their code of conduct. Not once. They are either in total denial or not aware of their impact. The impact of business practices, such as short lead times and pushing factories for better margins despite increases in the labor wages and raw materials, is well documented by those that have accepted that they may be part of the problem, such as Nike, Gap, Levis etc. Apple have no chance in gaining full compliance at their factories without understanding the root causes. SACOM  (Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior) have pointed out to Apple that this is something they should be aware of. They might try and make the case that they were unaware of this. However, now they know, yesterday was ignorance, tomorrow is negligence.

I hope the FLA staff do a better job than their President and bring these issues to the attention of Mr Cook.