primark- beyond corporate social responsibility

BEYOND CORPORATE SOCIAL

RESPONSIBILITY

PRESENTED BY:

KABITA SAHUANAND CHETTRI

PADMANAYAN TAMULISUKHMEET SINGH RAKHRA

MONICA SONIKRISHNA KUMAR AGARWALLA

PRIMARK

Introduction to Primark A subsidiary company of the ABF (Associated

British Foods) Group Launched in 1969 in Ireland (trading as Penny's) 2000 - over 100 stores across Britain and

Ireland. 2012 - 238 branches across the UK, Ireland and

Europe

Offering unbeatable value with innovative, fashion-driven edge

Value-for-money prices . Low Cost. Economies of scale and efficient distribution

Cont….

Profitability depends on volume of sales

Does not manufacture goods itself  Works with suppliers to produce

goods to Primark’s specification China, India, Bangladesh and Turkey are key sourcing countries

AN OVERVIEW

Corporate Social Responsibility

CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society.

Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large

Organisations demonstrate CSR in different ways, e.g.

Volunteer in community projects

Sponsoring/supporting charity work

Contributing time/money to improving environmental impact

Why does Primark embrace CSR?

Employment of more than 700,000 workers across three continents

Ensuring their rights are respected Responsibility to act and trade

ethically It can be a force for good

Cont…. Primark’s Code of Conduct sets out

standards for suppliers Fair wage and good work conditions to

suppliers Primark’s Project(Health Enables

Returns) Raising awareness and delivering healthcare education to female workers in supplier countries HEALTH IS WEALTH

Challenges 80% of garment manufacturing workforce in

supplier  countries is female 4 million workers- Bangladesh alone Gives them independence and income- Women

Empowerment.

Women have little education/ literacy Lack knowledge of health, hygiene and

nutrition issues Lack of medical advice

Results in vulnerable workforce More women than men are malnourished and suffer from illnesses e.g. anaemia

HER Project Initiative started by BSR(Business for Social

Responsibility) and partnered with the Awaj Foundation.

Non-governmental organisation Works with over 250 companies on

environmental, social and human rights  Aims to improve the health of female workers

through training and education Provides tools to help them take charge of

personal and working lives

10% ‘Peer group educators’ Responsible for training other women in the

workplace

Cont…. Understanding the local culture and building

self-confidence Mutual help and encouragement Informal learning outside the workshops Benefits their families and whole communities

HER project has helped over  50,000 women in different countries Through companies like Primark, Primark’s suppliers and local health

providers

Value of HER Project Empowering/educating female workforce

important goal in its own right Improves communication skills Builds trust and confidence Improves teamwork and motivation Enables women to take more

responsibility

Benefits factories and companies Improvement in productivity More stable workforce

Cont…. Lower absenteeism Decreased labour turnover  Improved quality Reduction in housekeeping costs

Benefits communities Helping to reduce infant mortality Encourages women to take on

leadership roles in communities

Our Analysis HER project makes a difference to the lives of

its supplier workers and delivers business benefits

4,500 women in Primark’s factories trained under the HER project in Bangladesh so far 

Project is rolled out to Primark’s suppliers in China and India

$1 investment= $3 business gain. (Women Health)

A sustainable and ethical business model

89% provide on-site medical advice.

Increase of 55% in use of contraception.

Increase of 98% in consumption of Animal Protein.

3660 workers trained in South India.

Primark and the Her Project not only helped their economy but also helped in the development and well being of its Supplier’s economies.

“This project has a real and immediate impact on women’s lives by giving them practical, high quality information about their sexual and reproductive health”, said Racheal Yeager, BSR HER project Director.

Our Take on Primark’s CSR activity:

Thank You