Consumers need to support ethical companies

Grade 9 students in the Collective Voice program at Aden Bowman Collegiate share their lives and opinions through columns. Selected columns run each Monday in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

For pretty much my entire life I’ve been taught that slavery and economic exploitation are things of the past. Everything was supposedly perfect since slavery was abolished in Canada and the United States.

I can’t remember when I first found out about sweatshops, but I know that I was shocked.

The U.S. Department of Labor defines the word “sweatshop” as a factory that violates two or more labour laws. It is generally used as a flexible term for workplaces with poor or dangerous working conditions, low pay, and long working hours. This usually involves exploitation of the economic situation in developing countries, making production very cheap for consumers in the developed world.

According to the United Nations, 168 million children around the world work in environments that endanger their health and violate international labour laws. According to an article I saw on businessoffashion.com, in 2015, 97 per cent of clothes sold in the U.S. were imported, not just from China but also from other manufacturing centres like Bangladesh. There have been many scandals across the world involving major companies’ supply chains and exploitation. These companies include the Gap, Apple, Disney and Nike.

So with this problem comes a choice. Do you conform to our materialistic society, or do you stand against sweatshops?

I think a majority of people continue to support these companies simply because of ignorance. Sweatshops are certainly not addressed enough in our society. Like a lot of modern day issues, they are out of sight, out of mind. In our developed world we don’t see the harms we are creating because they affect other communities. In my experience, the education system generally attempts to sweep this major issue under the rug.

I believe that the first step to solving this issue is encouraging politicians and other important figures to speak up. Should companies that use sweatshops be required to notify consumers? Should Canadian labour laws apply to Canadian companies’ overseas suppliers? Politicians could play a huge role in ensuring ethical production overseas.

Another major factor is simply that people don’t care enough. They make their money and they spend it. People are under social pressure to conform and to buy from popular companies that may be involved in scandals. It may not seem like there is anything inherently wrong with spending your own money, but buying from certain companies sends a message. In a sense, you are voting with your dollars. It’s hard to remain neutral when you provide the demand that fuels modern day “slave drivers.”

You may think that your vote is insignificant, but that is exactly the attitude that prevents an ethical revolution. If enough people support ethical companies, then transnational companies will be pressured or possibly even forced to convert to a more ethical system.

As a consumer I try to support ethical companies and businesses, but it’s difficult because of lack of transparency. It’s often hard to tell which scandals are true and which are merely speculation. If I do encounter a choice between buying an ethical product or a cheap one, I try to stay ethical if possible.

In conclusion, I would encourage you to research your favourite brands and investigate their production in foreign countries. If you’re unsure, you can always buy local. Paying a few extra dollars could help kick-start a massive ethical movement and save lives in the long run.