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The Social Justice Commission of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa & Polynesia

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Product Questioning

By Jolyon / 22 September 2008

Now that people are paying increasing attention to social and environmental issues surrounding products, ethics seem to be part of the spin of every company.

“Hello, is your company socially responsible?”

“Thank you for asking”

“Well yes… um… and..?”

“Well, our primary objective is to eliminate poverty and pollution worldwide. We are single handedly achieving that through the manufacture of this plastic novelty item. It is outlined in our pre-prepared 7 page response that we send out to any inquiry that has the word ‘ethic’ or environment’ in it.”

SO, what can we really find out? What do we ask? I’d like to hear some practical approaches that people have.

Here is an initial suggestion: Firstly, ask about workers right to collective bargaining and union representation (as per 2 of the eight core conventions of the ILO: conventions 87 and 98). And secondly, asking about the traceability of supply chains which insists on accountability from source.

Any simplifications or alternative suggestions?

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About us

This site is run by the Social Justice Commission of the Anglican Church.

We seek to nurture justice spirituality and imagination, and engage in advocacy in all areas of life, overcoming poverty and transforming violence.

We encourage people to think and live “justly”, and emphasise debate and action on local, national and global issues.

Although we are Anglican, our vision isn’t so much about being Anglican. It’s about living justly. Justice is about how you live your life, and being just where we are. Working together, we can all flourish.

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