Primark also conducts energy audits in all its stores and reviews how much energy each store consumes. Credit: Zoella. The audits include onsite waste management practices, review of store emissions and ensuring all equipment is properly maintained. "Our continued partnership with Primark as part of this industry-leading programme is materially changing the lives of farmers and their families in rural cotton communities," Ward concluded. For Stewart, the community impact of the programme and the knowledge the farmers have gained thanks to the programme has been the most rewarding to witness. In order to ensure garment workers can have easy access to their bank accounts, Geosansar bank kiosks are located close to factories and worker communities. But the Spanish view it as a major chain store. Brands can work very hard on improving their purchasing practices - on forecasting, on production planning all of which can reduce their risk of causing overtime - but if they are a small player and other brands have poor management practices, the results on the factory floor can still be disappointing. This written down reality says nothing about what is really happening within the supply chain. According to WRAP, approximately 140 million pounds worth of used clothing is sent to landfills in the UK each year - accounting for 30 percent of consumers unwanted clothing. So what is Primark doing to reassure its consumers that its products should be cherished and that people should not buy more than they need? Following the tragic collapse of Rana Plaza, the most deadly accident in the history of the garment industry, more and more people begun to question how a t-shirt costing as little as 2 pounds could ever be responsibly made. Primark is committed to reducing the impact of our operations on the environment and has implemented a number of sustainability initiatives across the business, including environmental health and safety audits, energy audits, central building management system to optimize energy consumption, LED lighting, extensive employee training, extended producer responsibility measures and waste recycling programmes, explains Katharine Stewart, Primarks Director of Ethical Trade & Environmental Sustainability. Its suppliers factories. I think it is a bit hard to talk about things you might do in the future because the challenge is keeping up with the ever-changing world. As these results show, the company is doing well. At the moment 57 percent of all Primarks GHG emissions result from the transporting of its goods and as Primark continues to grow, this percentage is only likely to increase. Primark established a strong strategy of cost leader ship. The value retailer makes sure each supplier it works with has a full formal audit once a year, which is carried out by Primarks own team or approved external auditors. Until there is a general understanding that we all need to slow down and redress this industry, all initiatives, however welcome, however innovative, are just covering the problem, not solving it. However, the Government of Uzbekistan forces more than a million people 8 to work in the cotton fields each harvesting season and numerous reports highlight cases of human rights violations and forced child labour are rifein Uzbek cotton production. They include decision-making and analytical processes that define roadmaps for products, services and market interactions. In England, Primark is seen as a discounter. Primark's new sustainability strategy includes nine concrete pledges. How we collaborate and innovate with our suppliers and partners. In addition Primarks European stores donated a total of 100,000 cartons apparel goods to the European Red Cross Refugee Appeal 10 in 2015 to help refugees and migrants. We are all quite focused on the flagship stores, where you see people coming out of Primark with piles of bags. Give arguments to support the statement that Wal-Mart has achieved very good strategic fit between its competitive and supply chain strategies. At the end of the day, the fashion industry remains one of the most polluting sectors in the world. Nevertheless, Primark cannot argue with the fact that many consumers do shop excessively at Primark and are more likely to make an unnecessary, or unneeded purchase if the price is low enough. The video, which marks a first for the value retailer, shows what factory conditions are like for workers in Bangladesh. The value retailer pledged to give both short and long-term financial compensation to those affected by the factory collapse and has paid a total of 14 million dollars to date - 11 million of which has gone to workers and families employed by its supplier, New Waves Bottom. Credit: Primark. Hover your mouse over the photos to learn more. Many workers take pride in the work they do and the clothing they make and do not deserve to be exploited as they are now. Primark has published the results of their sustainable cotton programme on their website, as well as personal stories from the farmers themselves, but Stewart admits the company is still learning on how to take what they have learned from the pilot all the way through to end production to bring it to scale. The programme covers key issues workers should be aware of, such as health and safety responsibilities, hazard identification, and manual handling. It is a virtual tour. Origin coordination is critical with factories and suppliers. But if it isnt available, then consumers should also be proactively asking why not, and what retailers are doing on certain subjects. Primark shares a number of core principles within its Code of Conduct with the Fair Wear Foundation Code. Without confidential worker interviews, many of these workers who fear losing their jobs - usually their only means of an income - may never share their real working experience with suppliers clients. Published 5 years ago. However, in spite of the numerous initiatives Primark has undertaken to combat its chemical usage, the value retailer may not be able to reach its Detox commitment to Greenpeace by 2020. Unlike other clothes shops, people often come to Primark because they know theyll be able to afford a whole outfit. This set of guiding principles is based on the internationally recognised labour standards from the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 3 and the ETIs Base Code. Introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Management (Cecil C. Bozarth; Robert B. Handfield) Signals and Systems (Simon S. Haykin; Barry Van Veen) . Work is in the early stages, notes Stewart, so it has yet to be seen what, if any achievable impact, the initiative has on the wages of garment workers. Photo: Katharine Stewart, Primarks Director of Ethical Trade & Environmental Sustainability. Strong union representation can bring labour violations to light. Primark has a large range of products from men's wear, women's wear, children's wear, accessories, footwear, lingerie, home wear, hosiery and much more. Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Program, Digital RMG Factory Mapping in Bangladesh, comprehensive and accurate data on factories. But is Primark doing enough? This has included, for example, details of our suppliers, their factories, as well as our supply chain practices, said a spokesperson for Primark. So now we have implemented our Farmer Field School to help them manage their own income and run their own businesses. By offering these female farmers advice and guidance on how they can best manage their income and oversee their cash flow, Primark aims to ensure the cotton workers become financially independent. In addition Primark has joined a number of partnerships to ensure its products are made as sustainably and responsibly as possible, with as little harm to the environment. More transparency is needed to verify if the claims being made in Code of Conducts are really true., Primarks approach to due diligence and factory audits, For example in order to ensure that all garment workers understand Primarks Code of Conduct, which can be difficult in countries such as Bangladesh where many workers are illiterate, Primark has developed posters together with local charities. As a globalization strategy, Primark carries out its operation in 61 countries. Video: PRIMARK | Farmer Case Study Hirus Story. However, some pioneering companies, like Filippa K and Nudie Jeans are beginning to break this mould and commonly report their factory lists, audit outcomes, and other data. . "You are constantly hounded and monitored by managers and supervisors to work faster/better. In addition Primark has also achieved the Carbon Trust Standard for Waste for its waste management systems in store and is working to assume direct control over as much of its recyclable materials used during packing and transport as possible. NGOs and trade organisations agree that this, as well as working with trade unions, is key for any fashion retailer in tackling cases of forced labour in developing countries. About a 4 minute read. Unlike fast-fashion competitors, such as H&M, who has been extremely open in communicating their sustainable initiatives to the public through campaigns such as Close the Loop, Primark has remained relatively quiet on what it does in terms of sustainability, ethics, and labour rights. One key avenue Primark has been experimenting with to better communicate their ethics to consumers is video. However, in order to reach its goal of creating clothing with the least amount of harm done to the environment, the value retailer should be looking into additional avenues to increase its use of sustainable resources, as well as its use of recycled materials. At Primark, we are committed more than ever, to . But Primarks ethical and sustainable initiatives go much further than Rana Plaza. Credit: Simon Trel for FashionUnited. Because if there is no support on the systematic implementation of such initiatives, then it makes all the more challenging for suppliers, says Stewart. This short film explores the challenges the garment industry in Bangladesh faces as it. Thanks to its energy-efficiency projects, Primarks store energy intensity, which is measured by kilowatt-hour (kWh) per square foot, has been reduced by 11 percent since 2015. Credit: Primark, Photo: Primark store Venlo. However, this boost in income also brought on a new set of concerns for the female cotton farmers who participate in the pilot, as they were not used to managing a large cash flow. Primark also increased the number of fun, team-based projects with employees to boost direct engagement, which led to over 100 employees taking part in the wellbeing summer challenge. At the same time Primark decided to exclusively work with female cotton farmers in Gujarat, Northern India during the pilot because they realised many other cotton initiatives lacked gender focus. In total 6,279 workers in 436 groups have been trained through the programme since 2009, which has impacted the lives of approximately 30,000 garment workers. These audits, which can be announced before hand or not, include confidential worker interviews. These are: Giving clothes a longer life - We will become a circular and more sustainable business. The firm's positioning strategy entails the firm as the most cost effective firm in the fashion retail sector in UK. Our experts can deliver a custom Primark Stores Limited's Supply Chain Management paper for only $13.00 $11/page. All the stock we have in store which we cant sell, all our buying office samples and excess stock, is donated to Newlife. Primark first started working with Newlife in 2010, and since then has managed to generate more than 2 million pounds in donations, which has been used to purchase equipment such as wheelchairs, nurse services and fund medical research. Its not something new, its business as usual and we have been doing it for a very long time. We would suggest the brand show leadership by setting goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for its manufacturing supply chain, and start to introduce the use of renewable energy, along with increasing its use of sustainable fibres, increasing transparency of its supply chain and working to increase the percentage of its First Tier suppliers that comply with its Code of Conduct., Primarks stance on recycling textiles and sustainable fibres, In addition to working with SCAP and ECAP, Primark has been running a clothing recycling pilot for the past few months in selected stores in Germany and the UK together with I:CO 7. Unfortunately, Primark does not enclose their supplier list which makes it really hard to verify if what they communicate about their supply chain is actually true, continues Scally. But very often union members are threatened or fired for the work they do. Credit: Love Your Clothes, Video: I:CO | RETHINK. SM Insider Current Issue. But this also means consumers are more tempted to buy something without trying it and will be less inclined to return an ill-fitting garment, as it could cost them more in travel costs going back to the store than the actual garment itself. The training focuses on denim and jersey production, paying attention to the environmental impact of the main technologies used during the dyeing and washing processes. Primark, a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, has developed a new online tool that is helping usher in a new era of transparency for the retailer. The Global Sourcing Map allows consumers to access information about the 1071 factories and suppliers that make up the company's supply chain. The 20-minute video features numerous items from Primarks Spring/Summer 2017 collection including boyfriend style jeans, striped cropped tops and lacy triangle bras - all in several colours and sizes. The value retailer disagrees with this opinion, as Stewart says Primark has invested a lot in improving the quality of its garments over the last few years. For example, each Code states employment must be freely chosen, no child labour, and the freedom to form and join trade unions - all standards derived from the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights 6. Although it is grown on large-scale industrial farms in certain regions, in most cases the cotton used to make textiles and apparel comes from small farms in low-income countries, such as India, China and Pakistan. Primark's first U.S. store launches September 10th in Boston's iconic Burnham Building, Downtown Crossing, with a second store opening planned in King of Prussia in November. We wanted to develop a deeper understanding concerning the manufacturing processes behind cotton. The programme was originally designed to introduce sustainable farming methods, improve cotton yields and increase the cotton farmers income. The strategic plan of Primark consisted of the strategy of growing inorganically as well as organically. But how responsible are Primarks in-store working conditions? Now headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, it has a global revenue of 7bn. But we do share our supplier information with other partners we are in collaboration with, for example with the Bangladesh Accord 10. I think that the information has to be there for the consumer to make an educated choice. As a leading member of ETI, Primarks Code of Conduct is founded on the ETI Base Code which stresses that wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmarks, whichever is higher. The one in the UK, which covers all our European stores, is Newlife 8, a foundation which supports children who are either terminally ill or very physical disabled, explains Stewart. For example, in India, Primark is working together with local partners like the Association for Stimulating Know How 11 (ASK) in one of its main suppliers, Jeyavishnu Mill, to improve its recruitment process. In early 2016, the retailer started a new partnership with the Department for International Development 13 (DFID), which sees the two combining their presence, networks and expertise to boost the overall wellbeing of their workers in five of the retailers key markets - Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma, Ethiopia and India. Understanding the environment, market shifts and analysing strategy, competitive advantage and the economy will allow Primark to maintain their large market share and position as the largest retailer in the UK (ABF, 2016). For me, its really all about education. Primark tries to cut down all unessential expenses, reduce wastage, less direct marketing option, so that it can maintain the cost of the product. When asked on Primarks current opinion on adopting a circular business model, Stewart acknowledges that it is an area the value retailer is exploring, but is not ready to take on as a future goal. Of course it can be seen as if the greatest offenders are now establishing themselves as the greatest investors in sustainability and ethics, but the truth is that the fast fashion model is far from being effective and considerate, continues de Castro. There were a number of brands before who did not want to collaborate. One brand cannot single handedly reduce overtime or raise wages for the workers who make their clothes, says Lotte Schuurman, Communications Officer at the Fair Wear Foundation. Credit: Primark. But we have been very pleased with the trial and our decision to roll it out. Stewart notes that they may have to adopt a slightly different model in the US due to legal reasons, but they aim to have a similar system in place overseas. We also believe Primark could do more to educate its shoppers on how to care for their clothes and encourage them to look after them and keep them for longer.. Sign up for SB Brand-Led Culture Change, best rates expire March 3rd! However, store employees in the Netherlands who voiced these concerns are not only ones working at Primark who feel this way. Primark should focus on building a solid, long-term relationship with their suppliers based on trust; ensuring labour unions are allowed within the factories they source from and are protected enough so they can do their work freely without threats, or harassment, notes Scally. For example, back in 2014 and 2015 British shoppers are said to have found letters and hand stitched labels in garments pleading for help, which aimed to raise awareness for the terrible conditions workers were apparently forced to endure. For us, we felt there was a natural cadence for getting this information out and launching the website was the first step, with the Global Sourcing Map following on as a second phase, Katherine Stewart, Ethical Trade and Environmental Sustainability Director at Primark, told Edie.net. In the video Zoella shows off each item one by one to her viewers: young, impressionable women who all want to look and dress just like her - which leads to many of them also shopping in bulk at Primark. India currently ranks 130 out of 188 countries in the UNs Gender Inequality Index, as gender equality is seen as one of the most pressing development challenges facing the country. Our purpose is to provide safe, nutritious, affordable food and clothing that is great value for money. Primark adds that it does acknowledge the inherent challenges in defining and calculating a living wage, but it believes that a negotiated approach remains the most practical and sustainable move and supports the development of all industrial strides taken to achieve this. In order for Primark, or any fast fashion brand, to improve their practices to be more sustainable, we believe they need to address the full scope of these inputs. Primark has saved approximately 30 million kWh of energy through its bespoke software system called ERICC (Energy Reduction Information and Control Console). 1: Adopt a demand-driven planning and business operating model based on real-time demand insights and demand shaping. Design clothes with strengthened durability and to be recycled. Primark regularly visits factories where it holds a lead role in respect to the Accord and is in frequent contact with all other factories which it supplies from. Unfortunately cheaper prices are also more likely to trigger consumers into making an impulse purchase in store. However, despite of all its initiatives aimed at modern slavery issues, Primark is still regularly accused of sourcing from sweatshops and forced labour camps. This short film shows how I:CO works with retailers to initiate clothing recycling drives in store, and encourages consumers to be more mindful with their unwanted textiles. To solve it we need more time and a concerted effort on behalf of us all, to buy a little less and demand a whole lot better for our garment workers., A closer look at Primarks stance on responsible fashion. Thats why collaborative action is so important. On its website, the value retailer has a dedicated area under its Ethics page which explains how they are able to offer the lowest prices on the high street. Brands like Primark should use their power to make sure union members are protected. Scally also encourages Primark to join a multi-stakeholder initiative, like FWF, who can verify what is really happening in the supply chain. Primark. Supply Chain of Primark The idea of supply chain management, has been an important factor in the industry especially on the firms that are engaged in the international market and is an ideal way to appropriately deliver the customer's needs in the most desirable way. During the first year a factory has to demonstrate that it . Recognizing that climate change cannot be tackled alone, H&M recently announced it will make its sustainable supply chain available to third parties, including rival fashion companies. Through our Supply Chain modeling and analytics capabilities, we enable fact-based decision making around your supply chain strategy and network (footprint) design that will drive speed, agility and efficiency. Regarding Primark's China sourcing strategy, on the one hand, Primark sources from as many as 475 suppliers located in China, far more than any other Asian country. The company was forced to do a u-turn after a public outcry and stated that it would create a fund to supply garment workers. Additional business activities that the companies related to the integration of sustainability into corporate strategy were the creation of a sustainable product, adoption of a social and environmental management system, sustainable management of the value chain, satisfaction of unmet social needs, and reporting on financial and non-financial They discussed a number of HR-specific trends, including . No matter what your budget, we have a great range of fashion and home accessories at affordable prices. Does Primarks Low Prices equal Low Quality and Disposable Fashion? 8 June 2022. Credit: PRIs The World, Video: PRIMARK | Rana Plaza: Kushi Mela. However, although Primarks Code of Conduct remains an internationally recognised code of labour conduct, ensuring all its eight principles are consistently upheld at all of its suppliers around the world is another issue in its own right. According to Associated British Foods Corporate Responsibility Report for 2016 2, Primarks GHG emissions have increased by 15 percent over the last three years. Primark's supply chain took centre stage during the event and notably, management went into detail on the price-points of Primark's goods and how they were able to keep them so low. [Sustainability] is not about little capsule collections. Our Environmental Policy, which sits within our Code of Conduct. We probably do not realise the full potential of the recycling programme yet, as we have not been advertising it, says Stewart. Primark has already begun to train 5,000 new cotton farmers and plans to scale this up in time. Primark sets out 'ambitious' sustainability strategy Manage Cookie Consent To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information.