Socially-Responsible Factory to give better deals to workers
Construction is due to start shortly on a socially responsible sun-glass case and cleaning cloth factory in Siem Reap. … Pactics produces 40 per cent of cases and cloths for the larget sun-glass factory in the world, Luxottica, which has brands including Ray Ban, Oakley and Persol. … “I had look around in Phnom Penh and I didn’t really like what I was seeing there with the garment factories. There were lots of problems with them. They bring girls from the provinces to work. Wages are very low, and there is always something going on. I didn’t want to be part of that turmoil. The living conditions are bad, most of the workers don’t have a social life, and they cant afford to feed themselves very well. It’s not a pretty life.” Keen to avoid a situation where workers travel a long way and work long hours, Piet decided to “bring the factory to the workers rather than the workers to the factory.” … “We are not an NGO, and I have a responsibility to turn a profit. But I think employees should be happy. They need a social life. If employees are unhappy then products loose their quality and you cannot guarantee delivery. It’s hard to maintain these when you have a high employee turn around.” … Piet said that although compassion comes into it the decision to be socially responsible is an economic one as well. … He said operating as a socially responsible supplier means big brands can rest assured knowing their products are made by exploited workers, and can avoid public relations disasters, like the recent spate of faint-in protests in H&M outlets.
