Be an 'ethical pest'

The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is launching new guidance which gives hints and tips on how shoppers can help promote ethical trade in the fashion industry.

Says Julia Hawkins of ETI, "More and more people are concerned about how the workers who make their clothes are treated. They want to shop ethically, but aren't sure exactly what to do. Although ethical trade is a complex area, our new guidance shows that there are some simple steps that everyone can take, ranging from checking what ETI member companies sign up to, to asking tough questions of fashion retailers. We want people to know it's OK to be an ethical pest".

The Ethical Pest initiative is spearheaded by Tara Scott and Stacey Dooley, two of the six young people whose experiences working in the garment industry in India were filmed as part of the BBC series Blood, Sweat and T-shirts.

Says Stacey, "We think it's really important that shoppers think about where to spend their money when they go shopping. More people are becoming aware of what can happen to the workers who make our clothes and want to do something about it - this website helps them ask the right questions and be an 'ethical pest'."

Says Tara, "Compassion and responsibility should be fundamental in trade. Businesses have a responsibility to their customers and to the workers who make their products; both of whom they would not exist without. Honesty and transparency are crucial for a business to maintain a healthy relationship with its customers, and too many businesses have been caught red-handed breaching their ethical commitment. We need to make sure that companies who have made public commitments to trading ethically, including ETI members, are working hard for change. Consumer pressure is something businesses can't ignore. They work for us, so make them! Be an ethical pest."

Five ways to be an ethical pest

1. Ask shop staff if they know where their products come from, who made them, how they are treated and how much they are paid. The more we all do this, the more likely it is that retailers will pay attention.
2. Write to the chief executives of your favourite stores. We've suggested some probing questions you can ask in the box below.
3. Check which companies are members of ETI. They have made serious commitments to ethical trade and their activities are scrutinised by our trade union and NGO members Find out who our members are here and read about what they sign up to here.
4. Join a community of like-minded consumers and take part in the latest debates about ethical trading along with Tara and Stacey and the rest of the 'ethical pest' facebook group.
5. Find out more. You can learn more about the issues by reading our Factsheet about ethical trade for consumers.

The 'be an ethical pest' initiative has been developed as one of several during ETI's tenth anniversary year.

Since its inception, ETI has established itself as a global authority on corporate responsibility for workers' rights. It has demonstrated that ETI members' activities are bringing material benefits to workers: last year, member companies registered over 50,000 separate improvements to workers' conditions, collectively touching the lives of over 6 million workers.

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Notes to editors

The Ethical Trading Initiative is a not-for profit alliance of companies, trade unions, charities and campaigning organisations. Its 57 corporate members, which include many of the UK's leading retailers (Tesco, Gap and Marks & Spencer to name a few) have a combined turnover of over £107 billion; dedicate over 400 staff to ethical trade and last year instigated 54,000 separate actions to improve worker conditions among a 38,000 supplier base, collectively touching the lives of more than 6 million workers.

Contact Julia Hawkins at ETI on 0207 841 4350 or julia@eti.org.uk