For almost three years after Ethical Corporation highlighted the use of child labour in the Uzbek cotton industry – back in March 2005 – companies did little to tackle the problem. Clothing retailers did not seem aware that raw material sourcing was an ethical and operational risk.

Some 100 million rural households around the world are involved in cotton production and the supply industry is worth $32 billion a year. The finished garments industry is more than ten times that size, according to the Environmental Justice Foundation.

Regular reports published since 2005, from the EJF and the International Crisis Group, have expressed deep concern about the social and environmental impact of Uzbek cotton.

Upcoming Ethical Corporation conferences & events:
How to manage Social & Environmental Risk in the mining, oil & gas, steel and other heavy industries
London, 22-23 March 2010 The Responsible Business Summit 2010
Novotel West Hotel, London, 4th – 5th May 2010 The Inaugural Ethical Corporation Awards
Novotel West Hotel, London, Evening of 4th May 2010
The Awards will be held at the Responsible Summit -
on the evening of the first day
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