What kind of challenges are Ticket to Heaven facing?
The work related to CSR contain challenges and dilemmas, situations where it is not always a given which solution is the right one. Here we will describe two examples from an ordinary day, in addition to a subject we know our customers have focus on.
Challenges regarding overtime
The textile business is characterized by peak periods where a lot of clothes must be produced in a short amount of time – this includes Ticket to Heaven. This method of working can challenge certain production facilities in relation to complying with both BSCI-rules and the national legislation regarding overtime. Most of Ticket to Heaven’s suppliers have implemented work processes, to prevent illegal overtime during these ‘peak times’ but some violations may still occur in this area.
What is Ticket to Heaven doing about it?
Ticket to Heaven have entered a dialog with our suppliers on this issue. Furthermore we are focused on ordering our products as early as possible, thus ensuring the factory can plan the work process adequately – and thereby avoid inappropriate overtime. But we still have some situations where we must order at short notice.
A dilemma
There is another dilemma build into this issue: Some workers in the textile business would at times like to work more than was allowed, since they would like to earn as much as possible to support their families. Should they be allowed to, if they are ensured a decent wage for their overtime?
Environment and Working Environment – a dilemma
A few years ago a factory producing clothes for Ticket to Heaven installed air condition on the sewing factory. It improved the working environment for the workers significantly, but it is detrimental to the reduction of our CO2 emission.
On our last visit to China we saw another kind of A/C, one where the air is not chilled but only ventilated. This one saves the environment for CO2 emissions and it retrenches on the electricity.
The Issue of Child Labour
An important issue for a large number of our customers is whether children are involved in the production of Ticket clothes. It is a well known fact that child labour is widespread in many Asiatic countries, including in the textile business.
Our response is that during the 17 years, Ticket to Heaven have had our clothes produced in China (our main production country) we have to date not in any way experienced or found anything at ‘our’ suppliers, pointing toward child labour. The factories we use are so well managed and organised, that child labour does not occur.
Ticket to Heaven uses one BSCI approved factory on Sri Lanka, this means it is categorised according to the same terms as our factories in China.
Of course Ticket to Heaven does have guide lines for what to do, if we against expectations should discover child labour at one of our suppliers.
