SHU Helena Kennedy Centre for Intl Justice revises report to remove reference to several companies incorrectly mentioned in previous version
"Factually Incorrect Forced Labor Report ‘Irreparably Harmed’ Major Suppliers"
On Dec. 6, Sheffield Hallam University’s Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice published a report, in collaboration with Uyghur Rights Monitor and the Uyghur Center for Democracy and Human Rights, about the “substantial volume” of Uyghur forced labor-tainted apparel that is “flooding” into the European Union. The paper pulled no punches, linking powerhouse brands such as Adidas, H&M Group, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein parent PVH Corp. and Zara owner Inditex to the persecution of Muslim minorities in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region through state-sponsored labor transfer schemes.
.... On Tuesday, an updated version of “Tailoring Responsibility: Tracing Apparel Supply Chains from the Uyghur Region to Europe” reemerged on the university’s website with a correction and an apology. In assessing the supply chain of Anhui Huamao Group Co., a vertically integrated textile and apparel manufacturer with Xinjiang-based subsidiaries, the researchers had incorrectly identified one of these entities and, in so doing, erroneously named India’s Gemini Enterprises, Shahi Exports, SM Lulla Industries Worldwide and Sri Lanka’s Penguin Sportswear as customers.
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Both Gemini and Shahi had provided statements denying relationships with any of the manufacturers mentioned. By request, Shahi’s response has been stricken from the updated annex.
As a result of the correction, the number of named downstream brands and retailers has fallen from 39 to 30. Some of Anhui Huamao’s mislabeled clients, such as H&M, Hugo Boss, Inditex and PVH Corp., still appear as customers of Beijing Guanghua Textile Co. and Xinjiang Zhongtai Group, two other manufacturers profiled in the report. Decathlon, Helly Hansen, Helmut Lang, Marks & Spencer and Massimo Dutti, however, now appear blameless, at least in this instance.
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....[the report]
is frequently cited in complaints to the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise, better known as the CORE, which has opened investigations into the likes of Hugo Boss, Levi Strauss & Co., Nike, Ralph Lauren and Zara over their alleged ties to businesses profiting from modern slavery in China ...
Levi’s has already denounced data tying it to Xinjiang in Sheffield Hallam’s 2021 report as “outdated and inaccurate.”...
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[Caroline T. Dale, Principal research consultant at Sheffield Hallam University’s Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice’s Forced Labor Lab] said that it was “crucial” to emphasize that the overall findings and concerns outlined in the report remain unchanged.
“The report continues to shed light on the pressing issue of Uyghur forced labor in global supply chains, and demonstrates the persistent risks associated with apparel and textile imports to the EU,” she said. “Companies should conduct forensic due diligence on any products made of cotton, rayon/viscose or PVC, including synthetic leather, to identify exposure to companies operating in the Uyghur region, including those identified in this report.” [...]