Tough Working Conditions at Amazon
An undercover investigation conducted by BBC has unearthed some troubling news concerning how Amazon runs its warehouses. An undercover reporter working as a “picker” at Amazon’s Swansea warehouse in Wales, reported that the he was under “unbelievable” pressure.
As a picker, the reporter was given a handset which told him what items to collect and place in the trolley. The handset was however monitored, and he was given only a limited number of seconds to find each item. Should his picking rate be too low, he was told he would be reprimanded. During the ten and half hour late shift he walked 11 miles.
The BBC investigation found that making staff work under such duress could result in “mental and physical illness”, an accusation Amazon has denied.
When asked for further comment a company representative responded: “Like most companies, we have performance expectations. Productivity targets are set objectively, based on previous performance levels achieved by our workforce.”
To read more, click here.
The Circular Supply Chain
A recently published report entitled “A Practical Path to Resource Efficiency,”has drawn attention to the necessity to begin implementing circular supply chains, due to rise in the costs of commodities as natural resources continue to be depleted.
A circular supply chain refers to a supply chain in which all steps of a product’s lifecycle—from the manufacturing process to the packaging— is completed in the most resource efficient manner.
The findings published by LRS Consultancy and law firm Burges Salmon, noted that the “scale of consumption and waste is unsustainable.” As such, companies should begin collaborating their supply chains with one another to cut down on waste. One example the report gave was a biscuit manufacturer who began selling left over biscuit parts to a fast food brand that used it in its ice cream.
To read more, click here.
H&M in Animal Welfare Scandal
It is reported that the fashion retailer H&M will be stopping production of all angora products. An animal rights group publicized a video showing fur being ripped from live rabbits on Chinese farms, while the animals screamed in pain.
The fashion retailer initially dismissed previous accusations of animal cruelty regarding its Chinese suppliers. They also gave assurance, that their angora suppliers met the required animal welfare regulations, and were suitably audited. In light of the disturbing revelations, H&M has said it will make further enquiries as to whether or not their suppliers are complying with their code of practice.
To read more, click here.
Have a great weekend!
