Skechers: too busy to address forced labor?
By Krysta Bisnauth, Freedom United
| While many brands are working to eliminate forced labor from their supply chains, Skechers is taking the opposite approach. Recently, they celebrated a new store opening in Urumqi, the capital of the Uyghur Region—disregarding overwhelming evidence linking this area to forced labor and severe human rights abuses. |
| They can’t get away with it! |
Skechers was already in hot water when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security added its supplier Dongguan Oasis Shoes Co., Ltd. to its list of companies suspected of using Uyghur forced labor earlier this year. Instead of cutting ties, Skechers chose to ignore the red flags, stating that this would have no “material impact” on its business![1] |
When contacted about their business presence in the Uyghur Region, Skechers’ vice president of corporate communications was reportedly “too busy to deal with that right now.”[2]
| At this point, Skechers is sending a message of disregard. When major brands like Skechers refuse to cut ties with suppliers and business operations in the Uyghur region, they’re supporting a system built on forced labor and exploitation and sending a dangerous message to other brands. But we know that your action makes a difference. This year, advocacy efforts pressured China into investigating U.S. brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein for complying with forced labor bans, proving that global attention works.[3] Together, we can push Skechers to step up and get in line with efforts to end forced labor. |
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| Thank you for being a part of this movement. |
| In solidarity,Krysta and the team that supports the Freedom United community |
| Krysta Bisnauth Advocacy Manager, Freedom United |
[1] https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/skechers-supplier-uyghur-forced-labor-oasis/719809/
[3] https://www.freedomunited.org/news/china-hits-back-fashion-crackdown/?category=undefined
