blog post #3
TRANSCRIPT
HistoryIn the late 1990’s Nike brought CSR within the apparel industry to the
national spotlight
With profits of over $800 million, they were paying workers < $10/hour providing sweat shop conditions
Bill Clinton founded the Apparel Industry Partnership (AIP), the first organization
dedicated to improving CSR in the apparel industry
Apparel companies such as Nike and Reebok started to emphasize ethical
sourcing, and required their manufacturers to meet certain standards
History
TodayMost major developed countries have
laws in place that deter child labor and poor working conditions, though they
can still be found in many places
The focus of CSR within the apparel industry has moved from being
retroactive to proactive
TodayToday’s more conscious consumer has
forced companies to start CSR initiatives, from Timberland completely recyclable boots to TOM’s One for One
program
Companies see opportunities in “green” products, which has led us to
be very wary of “green-washing”
TodayGreen-washing occurs when companies use words such as “organic” or “natural” make products appear more earth friendly than
they actually are
This has blurred the lines between companies who are sincere in their efforts
and those just interested in increasing profits, making the consumer’s job as hard
as ever
FutureIn the future CSR will be viewed as a product, one that will be “franchised” throughout the different regions that a
company has a presence
This allows a company to build a system of CSR within their brand that can easily be implemented into new
markets