After a few years of ikea undergoing speculation of unreliable suppliers in countries such as india pakistan and nepal whom used child labor freely throughout their practices ikea s business area manager of carpets marianne barner was faced with a dilemma that she was quickly forced to overcome.
Child labor india rugs.
The report tainted carpets.
Despite rates of child labour declining over the last few years children are still being used in some severe forms of child labour such as bonded labour child soldiers and trafficking.
The number of child and or forced laborers in many countries such as india nepal pakistan and morocco is staggering.
Child labor in ghana.
Then in 1994 marianne barner a newly appointed ikea product manager is surprised by a swedish television documentary on the use of child labor by indian carpet suppliers including some that supply ikea s rugs.
Slavery and child labor in india s hand made carpet sector documents over 3 200 cases across nine states in india and found several hundred cases each of forced.
Statistics of international labor organization there are 250 million children aged 5 to 14 todaro smith 2009 p.
She immediately implements a strict policy that provides for contract cancellation if any ikea supplier uses child labor.
In brick kilns carpet weaving garment making domestic service food and refreshment.
379 are working in developing countries and many of them were enslaved or bonded laborers.
During the past 20 years it has been one of the fastest growing industries and most of this growth has been achieved through the use of child labor.
In the case the company confronted child labor issue and customers perceived that the low price they benefit was due to child labor exploitation in india customers would react by avoiding products from ikea that results in a drop in sales.
For example in india estimates of child labor in india vary from the government s 1991 census figure of 11 3 million children under 15 working to human rights watch s estimate of between 60 million and 115 millions child laborers and about 200 000 were employed in the carpet industry.
Of these 250 million child labors 126 3 million are doing jobs that are classified as difficult dangerous and suitable child labour in africa 2006 africa has.
Indian rugs and child labor a.
Human rights and global sourcing.
Ikea s global sourcing challenge.
Across india child labourers can be found in a variety of industries.
The handmade woolen carpet industry is extremely labor intensive and one of the largest export earners for india pakistan nepal and morocco.
Indian rugs and child labor a basically explains the issue which the company ikea faces because of the increasing environmental and social issues with the suppliers.
