Half of UK retailers still do not have a code of conduct for their suppliers, a study has found.
Of 417 retailing brands operated by 223 parent companies studied by Leeds University researchers, only 52 per cent had codes of conduct for suppliers, even though 95 per cent had operations in developing countries.
The study suggests most firms are not doing enough either to develop or to implement codes. Three-quarters of the sample scored one or less in a ranking developed by the researchers, with five representing best practice. Of the companies with supplier codes, those lowest in the ranking had to have their supply chains audited by a third party.
The best performers audited suppliers against a published code, reported the results and had a fair trade scheme for some products. They are The Body Shop, divisions of The Co-operative Group, Traidcraft, and also Triodos Bank, which is classed as a retailing brand by the authors.
Researcher William Young said the results showed ‘an apparent lack of concern’ by retailers about working conditions of suppliers in developing countries.