Ottawa’s corporate-ethics watchdog has announced an investigation into fashion company Ralph Lauren over the alleged use of forced labour in its supply chains, while putting a Toronto-based mining firm on notice.
Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise Sheri Meyerhoffer said it’s not clear whether Ralph Lauren Canada LP is doing enough to weed out components linked to the alleged mistreatment of China’s Uyghur minority.
Her report says that in response to her inquiries, Ralph Lauren insisted last November that it’s an American company that isn’t subject to Canadian jurisdiction and provided information in June about measures it has in place to prevent mistreatment.
Meyerhoffer noted that corporate due diligence and policies aimed at lowering the risk of forced labour “should include an open, participatory and responsive space for addressing complaints or grievances raised by stakeholders.”
While the shipments occurred through August 2021 — well after Ralph Lauren announced in July 2020 that it does not use any yarn, textiles or products from Xinjiang — the goods that arrived in Canada had been ordered before the company cut ties with the supplier.
She noted that the sale of the Sawayaerdun mine limits her ability to launch an investigation, but maintained that the company could better explain its assertion that it has no Uyghur workers, and detail how it prevents forced labour.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Ottawa’s corporate-ethics watchdog has announced an investigation into fashion company Ralph Lauren over the alleged use of forced labour in its supply chains, while putting a Toronto-based mining firm on notice.
Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise Sheri Meyerhoffer said it’s not clear whether Ralph Lauren Canada LP is doing enough to weed out components linked to the alleged mistreatment of China’s Uyghur minority.
Her report says that in response to her inquiries, Ralph Lauren insisted last November that it’s an American company that isn’t subject to Canadian jurisdiction and provided information in June about measures it has in place to prevent mistreatment.
Meyerhoffer noted that corporate due diligence and policies aimed at lowering the risk of forced labour “should include an open, participatory and responsive space for addressing complaints or grievances raised by stakeholders.”
While the shipments occurred through August 2021 — well after Ralph Lauren announced in July 2020 that it does not use any yarn, textiles or products from Xinjiang — the goods that arrived in Canada had been ordered before the company cut ties with the supplier.
She noted that the sale of the Sawayaerdun mine limits her ability to launch an investigation, but maintained that the company could better explain its assertion that it has no Uyghur workers, and detail how it prevents forced labour.
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