Report on Primark inquiry

A wide-ranging ethical trade action plan has been agreed with fashion retailer Primark following the conclusion of an in-depth inquiry commissioned by the Ethical Trading Initiative.

The comprehensive investigation, carried out by an independent team of ethical trade experts, found that in the course of the past year the company has significantly ramped up its ethical trade activities. Key steps taken include recruiting a new Director of Ethical Trade as well as ethical trade staff in sourcing countries, developing new ethical trade policies and practices, and delivering awareness-raising training for buying staff and suppliers.

To support the company to build on this progress and further embed ethical trade across the business, the review team has put forward recommendations which senior managers at Primark say they are committed to implementing, with work on many already well underway.

The inquiry was launched after serious allegations were made in January 2009 about abuses of workers' rights at a Manchester-based factory supplying Primark.

Says ETI Director Dan Rees: "Primark has made enormous strides over the past 12 months, and while there is still a great deal of work left to do, given the pace of improvement and the resources now committed, we are satisfied that Primark is committed to a robust and credible ethical trade strategy. Where weaknesses remain, we are committed to working with the company to address them."

Rees adds: "There are no quick fixes in ethical trade, and there is no end-point, when a company can say ‘job done'. For all major retailers, the scale and complexity of the challenges are such that they require constant vigilance and progressive improvement.

"We do not walk away from companies when problems are found in their supply chains. We are determined to work with our members at the sharp end of ethical trade, where workers need us most."