White bands can be bought with confidence
After several papers last week carried reports that the white bands promoting the Make Poverty History Campaign were being produced by factories in China with very poor working conditions, campaigners issued a press release to put supporters' minds at rest. CAFOD and Christian Aid are among the groups taking part in the Make Poverty History campaign. In a statement, Christian Aid said that they had all acted in good faith when ordering the bands. Before placing the first order, they had sought and received assurances that the supplier complied with ethical trading standards. Since receiving the reports about bad working practices, a Christian Aid spokesperson said: "As soon as we became aware of those concerns we worked with the supplier on a plan to correct those practices. This plan is ongoing and is already bearing fruit." The agency could have dropped the supplier, he explained, but this would have been contrary to best practice under the Ethical Trading Initiative. "It leaves workers without an income and changes nothing. By remaining faithful to this supplier we are better able to make a difference to the lives and conditions of those Chinese workers." These issues only relate to the silicon bands, not to the cloth or other versions. To buy a band online go to www.mphshop.com