Chinese fast fashion giant Shein said it found two cases of child labor in its supply chain last year. The manufacturer is tightening controls on the companies that make the clothes it sells, the BBC reported.
The company said it has temporarily suspended orders from the involved suppliers. The finding in Shein's 2023 sustainability report comes as the company plans to sell shares on the stock exchange. The company has been criticized for the working conditions of factory workers and its supply chain.
"Both cases were resolved quickly with restorative steps including terminating contracts with underage employees, ensuring payment of all wages due, arranging medical examinations, facilitating return to parents/legal guardians if necessary." After appropriate adjustment, manufacturers were allowed to resume their businesses," Shein said.
The company explained that it has already tightened its policies for suppliers. According to the new rules, any violations related to child and/or forced labor become grounds for termination of contracts.
In June, Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the US intelligence committee and an ally of Donald Trump, wrote to then UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt, warning him of "serious ethical issues" and Shein's "deep ties to the People's Republic of China".
"Slave labor and commercial gimmicks are the dirty secrets behind Shein's success," Marco Rubio wrote in a letter to Jeremy Hunt.
At the time, a spokesperson for the company responded: “Shein has a zero-tolerance policy on forced labor and we are committed to respecting human rights. We take the visibility of our entire supply chain seriously and require our suppliers to only source cotton from approved regions.”
It comes just weeks after a report published by Swiss rights group Public Eye said excessive overtime was common for many workers in Shein's supply chain.
In response to the report, the giant said it was "working hard" to investigate the issues raised by Public Eye and had made "significant progress towards improving conditions". | BGNES