Churchill High School – Flexible Learning

Northface

Environment

Pros: Northface has announced a new energy efficient line of products.  Northface has announced it will offset 100 percent of all North American facilities energy use.

Cons: None

August 6, 2008

North Face Plans Solar Energy System

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/08/06/north-face-plans-solar-energy-system/

Human Rights

Pros: None

Cons: Women are paid just 94 cents for each $165 North Face jacket they sew, which means that there wages amount to less than six-tenths of one percent of the jackets retail price.  Some people are forced to work 47 hours overtime a week, and sometimes even some all-night 22-26 hour shifts.

Women are paid just 94 cents for each $165 North Face jacket they sew, which means that there wages amount to less than six-tenths of one percent of the jackets retail price. The workers and their families could climb out of misery and at least into poverty if the U.S. companies would pay a base wage of just $1.49 an hour.  Forced Overtime:  During the peak season, some workers are forced to 86 cents an hour.

Animal Protection

Pros:  They do have some varieties of clothing for your animals. The North Face has not shown a significant source towards animal cruelty or animal protection! The north face company does not sell fur made products so it is a good choice to buy your clothing if your animal protesters ect.

CONS: NONE

Community Involvement

Pros:  The community is involved with the north face because without the community there would be no sales. And the north face is working for the community by making clothing and winter gear for the community. It is a very popular company it has many different locations of the store all across Canada. It has very good advertisement.   

Cons: None

WAL-MART

Human Rights

Pros: None

Cons: Human rights-wal mart does not allow employees to form unions and if they do so they will be punished and reported to the company headquarters. Since wal-mart is an international corporation it matters how they treat their employees. Even though wal marts human right history is horrific the general public continues to support them.

US: Wal-Mart Denies Workers Basic Rights

Weak Labor Laws Perpetuate Abuses

April 30, 2007

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2007/04/30/us-wal-mart-denies-workers-basic-rights

Environment

Pros: None

Cons: WAL-MART approximately open one store for every two business days. They don’t clean their construction sites properly so that causes silt and chemicals to flow into rivers and streams, which kills plant and animal life. It also contaminates our drinking water. The Connecticut department of environmental protection has sued WAL-MART for dumping fertilizer in the lakes and rivers.

Wal-Mart and the Environment

Lindsay Robinson

http://publici.ucimc.org/aug2001/082001_5.htm

Animal Rights

Pros: None

Cons: Wal-Mart uses inhuman glue traps and pellet guns to kill and injure unwanted animals that come into their storage rooms. Some of these animals are: birds, mice, and rats.

http://wakeupwalmart.com/news/article.html?article=1291

Community Involvement

Pros: Every weekend Wal-Mart hosts a charity fundraiser for the Red Cross across Canada.

Cons: None

Levi Strauss

Human rights- suspended from the UK-based Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) for refusing to make a commitment to a living wage for the thousands of workers worldwide who manufacture its products. Levi Strauss drops from first to fifth place in ETAG Report Card

Source: http://en.maquilasolidarity.org/en/node/369

Environment-

We will only do business with partners who share our commitment to the environment and who conduct their business in a way that is consistent with Levi Strauss & Co.’s Environmental Philosophy and Guiding Principles

http://actrav.itcilo.org/actrav-english/telearn/global/ilo/code/levi.htm

Animal protection-

N/A

Community Involvement-

It’s time to take your jeans off – for Levi Strauss & Co. and Goodwill® Industries. From April 24-May 1, Goodwill Industries International is teaming up with Levi Strauss & Co. to host a denim drive in 20 Levi’s® Brand Retail stores nationwide. In this newly stitched partnership, participating Levi’s Brand Retail stores will be offering customers like you 20 percent off a pair of Levi’s® jeans with proceeds going towards Goodwill stores. http://www.goodwill.org/page/guest/businesses/partners/TAKEYOURJEANSOFF_20. 080418  2009 Goodwill Industries International

Nestle

          -Human rights (HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHDOG SUES NESTLE, ADM, CARGILL FOR USING FORCED CHILD LABOR

Companies Import Cocoa Beans from Africa Cultivated and Harvested by Children

CHARGES INCLUDE TRAFFICKING, TORTURE, BEATINGS, 14-HOUR DAYS)

A leading human rights organization sued the Nestle, Archer Daniels Midland, and Cargill companies today in Federal District Court in Los Angeles for involvement in the trafficking, torture, and forced labor of children who cultivate and harvest cocoa beans which the companies import from Africa. The suit was brought under two federal statutes, the Torture Victims Protection Act and the Alien Tort Claims Act.  

http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/3332.html

July 14, 2005
International Labor Rights Fund

Environment-

Nestle is a leader when it comes to environmental concerns, and its proactive approach to its environmental policy is a model made to be followed. Nestlé’s plan, originating just prior to 1990, has made major gains in its environmental goals, mostly in the area of packaging source reduction. As a testimonial to Nestlé’s success look at the results: a 1994 survey revealed that by the end of 1993, Nestle operating companies used 40,000 tons less in packaging materials compared to 1990. Not only benefitting the environment, Nestle also saved approximately 75 million Swiss francs from these reductions, says Irina du Bois, corporate environmental officer. Nestle earned these results by setting up an environmental policy that started with an environmental officer and team of people from all areas of the company. The environmental officer reports directly to upper management, and is responsible for integrating all areas of the company’s activities. SOURCE- http://www.allbusiness.com/wholesale-trade/merchant-wholesalers-nondurable/577214-1.html  

 By Dorn, Chad A.
Publication: Candy Industry
Date: Sunday, September 1 1996

Animal Protection- Abusing animals

Nestlé own nearly 50% of the cosmetics company L’Oreal. L’Oreal was subject to boycott calls from animal rights groups including PeTA because of its animal testing policy. Since then L’Oreal has claimed that it no longer tests finished products on animals. This statement is obviously intended to mislead since finished products do not require further testing and it implies that the ingredients are certainly still subject to tests. Some groups called off the boycott in response to L’Oreal’s’ claims, however there are individuals and organisations who continue the boycott and L’Oreal continues to test on animals

http://www.mcspotlight.org/beyond/companies/nestle.html

Credits and References: Most of the information in this section was taken from The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association

Community Involvement- Nestlé Purina Pet Care Company (NPPC) was formed when Nestlé acquired Ralston Purina in December 2001. NPPC is a leader in the pet products industry, and community involvement is a long-standing tradition. In the United States, NPPC annually supports organizations that provide pet assistance programs, youth education programs and community outreach, primarily at its North American headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, and in cities where it has manufacturing facilities. http://www.community.nestle.com/Americas/United+States/Education+and+Training/Purina+Youth+ducation+programs.htm

 Ethical Shopping

Sony

Human Rights

Pros: Sony has been supplying sweatshops with materials such as metal, glass, felt etc.

Cons: Sony has been using illegal sweatshops in China ever since the company became popular in recent years

Source: TNC, “Trans National Corporations,” www.qerhs.k12.nf.ca

http://www.qerhs.k12.nf.ca.projects/economics/tnc/tnc.html

Environment

Pros: The Company Sony has not used the most harmful chemicals to the environment lately.

Cons: Sony has not stopped using PVC recently.

Source: “Greener Electronics Sony Ranking.” www.greenpeace.org. Sept. 18^th, 2006.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/greener-electronics-sony-ranki

Animal Protection

Pros: They have not hurt any live animals.

Cons: Sony used a dead goat for Playstation party set.

Source: “Sony Sorry about Binging Dead Got to PlayStation Party,” www.foxnews.com, May 1^st 2007, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269412,00.html

Community Involvement

Pros: Sony has donated $125 000 to a Japanese Memorial Fund.

Cons: Calls Apple Company greedy for no reason a few months ago to steal fans.

Source: “Sony Donates to the Prince Takamado Japan Canada Fund,” www.expressnews.ualberta.com, November 25^th, 2005

http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=7141

Nintendo

Human Rights

Pros: Nintendo has been supplying sweatshops with materials that the systems are made of.

Cons: Nintendo has been using illegal sweatshops in China for the last few years.

Environment

Pros: Nintendo has reduced CO2 gases and chemical use.

Cons: Nintendo’s PVC use and packaging is a big contribution to global warming.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/greener-electronics-nintendo-r-2

Animal Protection

Pros: Nintendo has not hurt any animals and it includes animals in many of its games.

Cons: PETA has targeted Nintendo for animal cruelty in the game “Cooking Mama” for cooking animals in the game.

Source: Felsinger, Alex, “PETA Releases ‘Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals’ Videogame”, www.planetsave.com

http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/11/17/peta-releases-cooking-mama-mama-kills-animals-videogame/

Community Involvement

Pros: Nintendo donates $3 000 000 to Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Cons: Nintendo raised price of Wii by $100 last year.

Human rights Nike/gap

A short paragraph

Nike- since the start of Nike they have had sweat shops that’s probably what makes them so successful cheep labor for big money. Nike is ok for the environment but they do violate the human rights category and Nike does give back to the community in a lot of ways.

Gap

                   The gap has gotten better in the environment category every year they cut down on emissions by two percent. The Gap is a small industry so they have almost no need for slavery in foreign countries but they do have little bit and they refuse to get rid of them.

Nike pros and cons

Human rights-Pros: Over the past couple of years Nike has not been using as much child labor or sweat shops their employees usually get a decent pay and have a good job.

Human rights-Cons: In the past and the present Nike has mostly used sweat shops and child labor although they admit to it and they try not to they still use them for cheap labor.

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

Environment-Pros: In 1998 Nike made a promise to be clean and cut Co2 emissions. Since then they have gradually slowed down the emissions but they are not quite prefect now.

Environment-cons: There are none any more!

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

Animal rights-Pros: Nike has its own animal rescue shelters called NARF Rescue in the U.S.A and plan on expanding to the states!

Animal rights-cons: The Only con is that Nike makes a type of shoe made of crocodile skin.

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

Community-Pros:  Nike has programs were they refurbish old community sports equipment. Nike gives 3% of there earnings to help old community’s!

Community-Cons: N/A

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

GAP Pros and cons

Human rights-Pros- The Gap got a $200,000 Grant to improve working conditions in India.

Human rights-Cons- The Gap uses lots of Child labor in foreign countries were they to not get paid a good wage.

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

Environment-Pros: The Gap uses almost no deadly emissions and they use no harmful factories

Environment-cons: N/A

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

Animal rights-Pros: Could not find

Animal rights-Cons: Could not find

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

Community-Pros: Gap plans on breaking poverty in India but they have not yet done so.

Community-Cons: Gap has not done any of the stuff they said they would do to help the community.

Source: www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

Conclusion

After doing some research I found that neither company has reasonable human rights stuff but they are pretty good in environmental and Nike does not test on animals although they do have shoes made out of alligator skin but the gap does a little bit. And Nike does give a lot back to the community so they are really good there although gap does not!

bibliography

http://www.democracynow.org/1997/9/23/nike_and_human_rights_abuses

http://www.gapsucks.org/gwa/history/ldt/

www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Individualcompanies/G/Gap

www.narfrescue.org/

http://www.gapinc.com/public/SocialResponsibility/sr_environment.shtml

_____________Gibson Guitars___________

Human rights

Pros: The workers and designers are paid decent hourly wages and there is no slave labour involved in the manufacturing of Gibson guitars.

Source: Glassdoor.com – Anonymous salaries posted

http://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/Gibson-Guitar-Product-Manager-Salaries-E6869_D_KO14,29.htm

Gibson guitar and Soldiers angels gave over twenty new acoustic guitars to wounded service members that were guitar players at the freedom celebration in Pasadena, CA.

Source: Bio-medacine.org Copyright vocus.inc

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Freedom-Celebration—Gibson-Guitar-to-Provide-Instruments-for-the-Wounded-22866-1/

Cons: Looking through anonymous reviews of the company I found that quite a few are very unhappy with a company job in Nashville Tennessee where a CEO is described as a narcissist and just a bad person overall. This is just at one company though.

Source:  – Anonymous reviews.

http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Gibson-Guitar-Reviews-E6869.htm

Environment

Pros: The company uses what is needed to make the guitars and do not have a high amount of waste. Some Gibson guitars are actually made of recycled wood.

Cons: N/A

Ultimately, our goal is not to promote certified-wood guitars as something special, but to bring our industry to a point where the use of certified wood is standard procedure.

 ”We utilize sustainable harvested wood as much as possible with all of our models.”

-Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson chairman and CEO

Source:  Thursday, Dec. 12th 2002

 http://www.gibson.com/press/usa/pr/smartwood.html

Community Involvement

Pros: Gibson guitars have been used as first guitars by many new players as well as many great guitar players.

Cons: Going back to the company in Nashville though, the people were very unhappy with the working conditions there. But again this is only one company out of several around the country.

Source:

Animal Protection

Pros: Animals are not harmed in the making of guitars.

Cons: N/A

Source: