24 August 2020

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Top Glove production records show at least one Kiwi importer is bringing that company’s gloves in here. But Miller says supply chains - both from the Ministry of Health, DHBs, and from private companies - are so opaque it’s pretty hard to tell where the PPE we are wearing comes from.

And although most New Zealand companies ask their suppliers for guarantees their products are ethically made, verification audits are notoriously unreliable, says Steve Ardagh.

“It’s so easy to have a certificate for anything. I’ve seen bogus certificates for products from all around the world in the last three or four months.”

Ardagh says the companies conducting the audits are often paid by the companies being audited. That means they are reluctant to give a bad review, for fear of not getting work in the future.

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Miller would also like to see more pressure put on importers, big companies and the Government by employees and customers, forcing them to open up their supply chains to scrutiny.

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