Adidas’s William Anderson responds to Paul French’s September column

I was heartened to read Paul French’s recent column [Factory life … and death, September 2010], where it was acknowledged that worker suicide is a complex issue – not one wholly and solely attributable to working conditions, as the mainstream media would have us believe.

With over 393,000 workers in our supply chain in China, the Adidas Group has looked closely at the root causes of worker deaths. Fortunately suicides remain small in number and sporadic events, but every loss of life must be of concern to a responsible buyer. Many of our larger suppliers have instituted counselling services for their workers, to help new migrants adjust to factory life and as Mr French correctly reports, the transition can be a traumatic one.

Many migrant workers are taking up first-time employment, they are young and vulnerable. Many have moved from inland provinces – small towns and rural areas – and carry with them great expectations, hopes and aspirations, but also weighty financial obligations. Many fall in and out of love. Our own NGO-run worker hotlines in China tell a compelling story, with a high percentage of calls not about working hours and wages, but about personal issues: relationships, homesickness and loneliness.

The greatest challenge for large-scale suppliers that employ tens of thousands of workers is making sure that the wellbeing of every individual counts. This requires qualified and caring professionals to be in place to listen and act on their concerns.

Although increasing pay and installing safety nets on high rise buildings may help reduce the incidence of suicides, it is not, as Mr French rightly concludes, a lasting solution.

William Anderson
Head of social and environmental affairs, Asia Pacific
Adidas

Ethical Corporation welcomes all correspondence to