Code of Ethics and Fairtrade
Globalization has led to companies complying with both safety and regulation standards with regards to the production of goods and services. Based on the visits to some of the factories tasked with producing balls under Fairtrade agreements it is crystal clear of the positive effect globalization can have on businesses. For instance, the four companies that were visited had fire extinguishers and fire exit points, notices on health and safety, adequate ventilation and all items that one would expect to find in a UK firm. The employees even had face masks and eye google that served as protection.
Policies such as those by Scottish Football Association an organization governing Scottish football have made companies such as Bala Sports pay 10% premium on the cost of manufacturing. Such an incentive is to be used to empower families of the workers to access both healthcare and education. The group has taken a mile further by selling thousands of balls around the country despite the fact there were only 80 Fairtrade balls when he began in the entire region of UK. Coull remarks that it has been difficult to create demand for balls. Most of the orders to supply the balls come from schools and consumers that conscious driven on Bala’s website. However, Fairtrade tea and coffee with coffee serving as the mainstream sports vendors have become reluctant to stock their shops with balls.
However, with globalization, there has been penetration of cheap footballs in the market making the price of such ball s deteriorate. Coull has termed the most significant problems and worries as that of being of the price. He gives a narrative where large chain stores sell balls at less than $7, and he asserts that he is not going to compete with such products since the workers who suffer most are the men and women who manufacture the balls. The fact that most of the customers that walk in such stalls are only after footballs such as those from Nike or Mitre products and fail to explain what Fairtrade is about.
The wrong perception that anything associated with Fairtrade is crap also affects sales made through Bala sport. With people thinking that such products as those produced by Fairtrade not being good are annoying since the samples are tested to suit the professional standards by Fifa (Duffy, 2015).The lack of sound deals with primary retail distributors has been a significant setback with the crowdfunding campaigns enabling the business to expand while being loyal to its values.
Human Rights Violations in Sialkot
Should Bala Sport consider the human rights of workers making football
Based on article 23, all people irrespective of where they come from have a right to work and choose employment of their kind and are entitled to just and conducive working conditions and also being protected from the pangs of unemployment. It is even stipulating that people should be subjected to equal pay for equal work done. Having equal rights with regards to reasonable remuneration to cater for his family considered worthy of human dignity complemented by social protection. Employees also have a right to be members of trade unions to ensure that their interests are protected. Article 24 goes further stipulating that it is mandatory that all people have a right to rest and leisure and that entails logical limitation of working hours and alternate leaves accompanied by pay.
Everyone is entitled to an education. Based on article 26, it is the right of the state to ensure that education remains free in both fundamental and elementary levels. In this case, primary education is to stay mandatory. On the other hand, education entailing technical and professional literacy should remain generally accessible and available, with higher education being possible based on excellence.
It is shocking and striking to find that some factories more so those not under Fairtrade agreements were situated in underground basements of buildings where the only ventilation was in the holes of ceiling even though most players who earn millions annually together with the regulatory bodies had a moral duty of promoting and protecting underpaid workers.
The clause also states that employees be subjected to equal pay for equal work. However, this is not and has not been the case in a place such as Sialkot. Women in this place get underpaid more so those working far from the main centers under the pretext that they produce poor quality balls even though they have been working in this industry for more than six years.
Thus, Bala Sport has a gap to fill in ensuring that such women are paid well for the work they do.
Article 26 talks about the universal right to education for all. Sialkot has become a victim of child labor where children sabotage education at the expense of work. Such children get recruited in stitching football units to supplement the income of their beloved families. The lack of ratification of some of the conventions protecting children considered minors from work is striking in a place like Sialkot. Even with the many interventions from the relevant stakeholders, the practice of child labor continues to itch a place like Sialkot and children enrolment in schools continues to decline.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sourcing Footballs from Sialkot
However, with companies such as Bala Sports interventions, it may help improve education for children by ensuring no children get recruited in places of work by implementing stringent measures for those found violating such rights. Bala Sport may also initiate programs aimed at supporting education for the workers by giving a decent pay which will make sure that families are satisfied with their pay.
The advantages and disadvantages of sourcing football from Sialkot by Bala Sports
Sourcing football from Sialkot will lead to the rise of subcontractors who have been associated with withholding wages from women under the pretext that such women produce inferior products. Such women have been stitching footballs for the past five years, and thus it will be illogical to assume that such women are incapable of manufacturing quality footballs. Also, such sourcing could lead to a power imbalance where women working from homes are obliged to take lower wages. It becomes impossible for women to turn to other employers more so after a woman receives an advance from a subcontractor as there is an informal code that prohibits her from taking work form another employer.
Thus, continuing to employ women to stitch the balls means that job supply remains high while the wages remain low. Subcontractors keep paying deteriorating remunerations providing manufacturers a chance to pay low wages to the workers. Based on the past experiences, it has been found that the price paid for footballs will be lower in villages that are far from the primary production units compared to those that are located in proximity.
Sourcing such balls from the suppliers mean job creation to the many deprived individuals who are unemployed. When there is high demand for the balls, it means that footballs have to be manufactured to match the demand by Bala sport. Considering that Sialkot is one of the largest industrial parks in Pakistan as it has a population of more than half a million people. Such sourcing will be a relief in Sialkot as it means that more jobs and less unemployment.
The fear of child labor may resurface.
With a gross population of 40 million children of age between 5 and 14, Pakistan has approximately more than three million children working as workers. This is although the country has failed in the past to have the Convention on children’s rights ratified including the five out of seven with the inclusion of one that forbade child labor under the age of 14. Children are compelled to work to add to the income of their families. The necessity to have children add to the income of their families continues to increase while the purchasing power of families continues to dwindle. Based on the past reports, it was estimated that children involved in stitching footballs contributed more than 20% to the income of the households. With such sourcing, such a problem that had been curbed may resurface.
Ethical Considerations for Bala Sport
One of the two human rights and one ethical theory
It is before the Atlanta Agreement that balls were initially stitched at home where women and girls are discriminated regarding job opportunities. The stitching of balls does not require special equipment, and for this reason, it is regarded as an alternative to other types of work. However, the main disadvantage of this work is the poor wages compared to different job types. However, based on article 23 of the United Nations, all employees are entitled to work at any place they choose in any work that appeals to them.
This also means that they are subjected to good working conditions.it is sad and devastating to find that some of the factories used as stitching firms for balls are basements of buildings with poor or no ventilation making it not conducive for the workers. Thus, Bala sport is obliged to allow such rights to the employees in the football industry that continue being subjected to poor working conditions.
The concept regarding ethics in workplace environments continues being ignored making many workers suffer while good quality products are being produced. This raises the question of whether such goods were ethically produced. Take a case of Sialkot one of the industrial centers associated with producing balls for international markets for prominent brands such as Nike that have a global reputation. Sialkot has appeared in the limelight as one controversial center where there are unscrupulous subcontractors who exploit workers particularly the women. The women who work away from production units are paid less yet they deliver quality balls. Such women are given advances which deny them from working for other better contractors. Such issues raise the question as to whether such produced are ethically produced.
The poor working conditions where workers work with no protective gear and special eye protectors is a concern as evidenced in other production units. The controversial cases of instances where children considered minors work in the production of balls are also unethical. Such children work to complement the meager pay their families make. It not surprising that when footballers are earning hefty sums annually the very people that make the balls that have made players rich languish in abject poverty. It would be better if the employees in Sialkot stitching units get a decent pay based on the quality balls that they produce.
The lack of equality and balance in employment opportunities is devastating. There are more men than women working in the ball production units in places such as Sialkot. Such women do the same work as the men in such factories yet when it comes to payment; they receive meager wages. There is even a scheme that has been set where women working away from production units get less pay as it is argued that such women produce poor quality balls. This is contrary to what the universal right article 23 that all people regardless of sex should have equal pay for equal work done.
The article advocates for women in such environments getting decent pay just like their male counterparts. The general condition of poor wages for workers in ball production units is little which means making a decent for such families is a problem. With such low wages, it means affording basic needs such as adequate healthcare regarding medication.
In conclusion, it is apparent that universal human rights such as article 23 and 24 respectively that protect workers from harsh working conditions and poor pays and also right to education are essential in places such as Sialkot where workers continue being exploited yet they provide high-quality products in international markets. However, with companies such as Bala Sport that is conscious of the rights of employees, the violation of such rights may be streamlined.
References
Duffy, O., 2015. Scottish co-op launches Fairtrade football campaign.
Human Rights, 2012. Child labour.
Hussain-Khaliq, S., 2004. Eliminating Child Labour from the Sialkot Soccer Ball Industry. Journal of Corporate Citizenship, pp. 101-107.
Poos, S., n.d. Sialkot – Pakistan The football industry From Child Lab.
Tapiola, K., Umemoto, S. H. & Soofi, K., 2013. Atlanta Agreement.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
