Brands respond to report on Bangladesh tanneries

Apex plans to shut down its Hazaribagh plant soon while Bay terms the claim “absolutely baseless’’

Leather made with child labour and under dangerous, polluted conditions in Bangladesh went to factories that produced goods for major US and European shoe and handbag brands and companies, according to a report released Friday by New York-based nonprofit Transparentem. Those named in the report generally said they were concerned about the conditions at the tanneries, but that leather used in their particular products was made elsewhere, reports the Associated Press.
The report says leather from Apex Tannery Ltd went to Apex Footwear Ltd, which made products for several retailers.
In response to that , Syed Nasim Manzur, managing director of Apex Footwear and a director at the Apex Tannery, calls Hazaribagh "an environmental disaster" and said they'll soon be closing their plant there. But he said the report is a "smear campaign," allegations of child labour are unsubstantiated, and leather doesn't move between their Hazaribagh tannery and shoe factory.
He said Transparentem "continues to make the completely false and unsubstantiated allegation that leather from Hazaribagh enters the supply chain of the shoes that (Western brands) buy from Bangladesh. This is false and this is wrong and this is unsubstantiated. And we challenge the NGO to prove otherwise. We have proven to the satisfaction of our customers the traceability of all the leather that we have used for the shoes that they buy from Bangladesh."
Manzur said Apex Footwear and Apex Tannery are separate entities, although they have some owners in common and are associated businesses.
"Apex Footwear Limited as a responsible corporate citizen of Bangladesh is fully committed to ensuring that we comply with the all the laws of Bangladesh and we encourage dialogue with all stakeholders," he said.
Transparentem also says leather from Bay Tannery Ltd. went to Bay Footwear Ltd.
Rezaur Rahman, technical adviser of Bay Footwear Ltd., told the AP that the report accusing Bay of employing any child workers anywhere is "absolutely baseless".
"Our workers are under an established trade union, which closely works with us. We worked with the International Labor Organization and trade unions. I don't understand how and where they found child workers in the industry," Rahman said. "We don't have any child workers."
He said Bay Tannery is moving but a few more months may be needed to shift heavy equipment entirely to an industrial park in Savar with proper sewerage designed for tanneries.
In a statement, Clarks said that since 2013, the leather for all of its footwear production through Bay Footwear "has been specified from Clarks nominated tanneries outside of Bangladesh."
"Clarks is only responsible for the sourcing of materials in our own products and cannot control the sourcing of others. Clarks takes responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of our operations and the welfare of those engaged in the production of our products at all levels of the supply chain extremely seriously and we continuously audit our supply chain, including Bay Footwear, to ensure it meets our rigorous standards. We have a history of taking corrective action where necessary."
Steve Park, sales director at White Industry Co., said the South Korean company stopped accepting raw materials from Bangladesh late last year after the company was informed by US clients such as Coach, Michael Kors and Kate Spade about environmental problems and child labor issues in Bangladesh. White had been selling leather to Simone Accessories that actually manufactured the products for those companies.
"Because of those problems, we are not using raw materials from Bangladesh and we are using instead (raw materials) from the U.S., Brazil and Pakistan," he said by phone. Park said the company used to do businesses with five or six tanneries in Bangladesh. As of this year, it is doing business with none of them.
Robert Lee, a director at Simone, said the company learned of the environmental and human rights problems in Bangladesh in December and its leather supplier in South Korea stopped purchasing raw materials from Bangladesh starting in January.
Coach, whose website says its produce is "handcrafted from the finest American and European hides and textiles," sent a statement to Transparentem and AP that said:
"Coach has no contractual or other direct relationship with White. Furthermore, we have confirmed that no more than 1.5 percent of Coach's annual leather purchase was sourced from Hazaribagh. Nevertheless, based upon the information you have shared with us, it is wholly unacceptable to Coach that any leather product from Hazaribagh be used in manufacturing Coach products — regardless of how indirectly such products may have found its way into Coach's supply chain, or how minimal the use of such products may be."

 

Brands respond to report on Bangladesh tanneries

Apex plans to shut down its Hazaribagh plant soon while Bay terms the claim “absolutely baseless

Leather made with child labour and under dangerous, polluted conditions in Bangladesh went to factories that produced goods for major US and European shoe and handbag brands and companies, according to a report released Friday by New York-based nonprofit Transparentem. Those named in the report generally said they were concerned about the conditions at the tanneries, but that leather used in their particular products was made elsewhere, reports the Associated Press. The report says leather from Apex Tannery Ltd went to Apex Footwear Ltd, which made products for several retailers. In response to that , Syed Nasim Manzur, managing director of Apex Footwear and a director at the Apex Tannery, calls Hazaribagh an environmental disaster and said theyll soon be closing their plant there. But he said the report is a smear campaign, allegations of child labour are unsubstantiated, and leather doesnt move between their Hazaribagh tannery and shoe factory. He said Transparentem continues to make the completely false and unsubstantiated allegation that leather from Hazaribagh enters the supply chain of the shoes that (Western brands) buy from Bangladesh. This is false and this is wrong and this is unsubstantiated. And we challenge the NGO to prove otherwise. We have proven to the satisfaction of our customers the traceability of all the leather that we have used for the shoes that they buy from Bangladesh. Manzur said Apex Footwear and Apex Tannery are separate entities, although they have some owners in common and are associated businesses. Apex Footwear Limited as a responsible corporate citizen of Bangladesh is fully committed to ensuring that we comply with the all the laws of Bangladesh and we encourage dialogue with all stakeholders, he said. Transparentem also says leather from Bay Tannery Ltd. went to Bay Footwear Ltd. Rezaur Rahman, technical adviser of Bay Footwear Ltd., told the AP that the report accusing Bay of employing any child workers anywhere is absolutely baseless. Our workers are under an established trade union, which closely works with us. We worked with the International Labor Organization and trade unions. I dont understand how and where they found child workers in the industry, Rahman said. We dont have any child workers. He said Bay Tannery is moving but a few more months may be needed to shift heavy equipment entirely to an industrial park in Savar with proper sewerage designed for tanneries. In a statement, Clarks said that since 2013, the leather for all of its footwear production through Bay Footwear has been specified from Clarks nominated tanneries outside of Bangladesh. Clarks is only responsible for the sourcing of materials in our own products and cannot control the sourcing of others. Clarks takes responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of our operations and the welfare of those engaged in the production of our products at all levels of the supply chain extremely seriously and we continuously audit our supply chain, including Bay Footwear, to ensure it meets our rigorous standards. We have a history of taking corrective action where necessary. Steve Park, sales director at White Industry Co., said the South Korean company stopped accepting raw materials from Bangladesh late last year after the company was informed by US clients such as Coach, Michael Kors and Kate Spade about environmental problems and child labor issues in Bangladesh. White had been selling leather to Simone Accessories that actually manufactured the products for those companies. Because of those problems, we are not using raw materials from Bangladesh and we are using instead (raw materials) from the U.S., Brazil and Pakistan, he said by phone. Park said the company used to do businesses with five or six tanneries in Bangladesh. As of this year, it is doing business with none of them. Robert Lee, a director at Simone, said the company learned of the environmental and human rights problems in Bangladesh in December and its leather supplier in South Korea stopped purchasing raw materials from Bangladesh starting in January. Coach, whose website says its produce is handcrafted from the finest American and European hides and textiles, sent a statement to Transparentem and AP that said: Coach has no contractual or other direct relationship with White. Furthermore, we have confirmed that no more than 1.5 percent of Coachs annual leather purchase was sourced from Hazaribagh. Nevertheless, based upon the information you have shared with us, it is wholly unacceptable to Coach that any leather product from Hazaribagh be used in manufacturing Coach products regardless of how indirectly such products may have found its way into Coachs supply chain, or how minimal the use of such products may be.