For me, ethical behavior does not end when I step off the stage or away from the podium. It affects the way I am and always the person I strive to be. I am concerned that my family makes good decisions; I hope the people I instruct understand the truth of my message; I am hopeful that the sports teams I follow and the athletes I admire make good decisions for themselves. I am even concerned about the plight of those who make the products I consume and wear.
I am thankfully not alone.
Kelley Holland, a writer for CNBC penned an online article on May 30, 2013 that should very much resonate with all of us; entitled: How to Bring Ethics Into Your Closet, Ms Holland, quoting the executive director of the National Consumers League, states:
“As a society, we haven’t done a great job of giving consumers the information that they would probably use to make ethical buying decisions.”
Holland cites the tragedy of the factory collapse in Bangladesh; a multi-storied sweat shop, hastily constructed and improperly built without of any regard for safety codes, fire exits or worker comfort. The sweat shop produced goods for the Gap and other retail concerns.
It is unfair to single out the Gap stores; in other factories in Third World countries there have been fires and building collapses where goods were being made for Wal-Mart, Nike and Banana Republic among others.
I know all of the arguments about free-trade, balance of trade, tariffs and duties, efficiencies of manufacturing, outsourcing and the like. I also know that nothing, nothing that I wear or you wear is worth a human life.
My ethical challenge in talking about this topic isn’t worker wages or benefits in Third World countries; I can answer both questions in just a few words: pathetic and none. My ethical challenge and yours is in us asking if we would like to be working under the same conditions ourselves. If you have children or nieces or nephews would you want them working under such conditions?
Again, ethical arguments flood the picture: when people say, “Well, that’s their way of life – and they’re glad to make thirty-five cents an hour!”
My thought might be: “Yes, it’s true that they’re happy for the work and maybe a crazy low wage over here is a fantastic wage over there, but in what reality is it alright to put those workers in dangerous and sub-human conditions in buildings that would be immediately shut down here?”
In asking that question; that simple and ethical question, I can punch holes into all the long-distance, fluff-filled erudition. Someone, somewhere along the way, must at least consider that a human being is making the clothes they wear.
Ms Holland, citing university studies finds that a great many of us are willing to pay a little more for clothing made by workers who have better working conditions. It is good to know that some consumers understand that “cheap” also carries an expense.
Actionable Approaches
Is there anything I can do to besides expressing concern? As it turns out, there are indeed alternatives.
You might try to start your quest by going to the Better Cotton Initiative at http://bettercotton.org, and by going online and typing “Ethically Sourced Clothing” into a search engine there are many smaller companies that have made a commitment to better sourced products. There are also many companies that still manufacture in the United States, and while I understand that they are generally more expensive, suppose you decided that every so often, or maybe once a month, you treated yourself to an ethically made article of clothing?
If all else fails, is it wrong for us to at least consider that our sense of ethics; of right and wrong does not end or begin when we enter or exit our workplaces? If we try to lead ethical lives, should we not also carry that behavior to our weekends? Should it not also extend to an understanding of ourselves as buyers and sellers; consumers and as those who make things available for consumption?
Sadly, some of the companies whose goods are made in deplorable conditions have refused to sign petitions pledging to commit to worker safety. While the purpose of this post is not to rant from a “soapbox,” it is still notable that some companies, like some people, never quite understand that the choices of what we do in life will lead to consequences.
I am living proof that there are indeed consequences to our actions, but I am also hopeful that the changes I’ve made and the lessons I teach can also show that we can change our lives and in doing so, help to change others.
Finally, I can’t help but think that almost every time I turn on my television, be it network or cable programming, a sitcom or sports event, there are commercials for either computers or Smartphone’s. They are constantly stressing that their products help us connect better, connect faster and indeed, can connect us to the entire world. With all of this interconnectedness, shouldn’t we strive to be ethically connected as well?