H&M – a role model for organic cotton use in textile processing?

Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz (operating as H&M) is one of the biggest multinational retail-clothing companies in the world. As a result of massive criticism from campaigning non-profit organizations and news media reports that blamed H&M for unfair and substandard working conditions in their ancillary industries, in 1997 the company began to develop a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program and a code of conduct. Today H&M has a wide-ranging, broadly integrated CSR program. As a part of its commitment, the company implemented a strategy to “Use Natural Resources Responsibly”. The use of organic cotton, which is understood as cotton grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, is one part of the strategy. In 2010, the company was hit by a scandal. News media reported that large volumes of genetically modified cotton from India had been falsely put on the German market as organic cotton and affected various companies, among them H&M. The search for better monitoring, controls and safeguards was on so H&M could keep its promises. This article discusses the challenge and possible improvements and solutions to recognized problems, and evaluates the company’s actions so far. It concludes that H&M can be considered a role model for organic cotton use in textile processing. However, further steps can and should be taken for improved control and information, and better customer and stakeholder relations in the CSR framework.Keywords: corporate social responsibility (CSR), cotton, genetically modified organisms (GMO), labeling, monitoring, organic, textilesDIESER TEXT IST NUR AUF ENGLISCH VERFÜGBAR. Bitte wechseln Sie die Sprachanzeige (rechts oben), um das PDF anzuzeigen.Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz (operating as H&M) is one of the biggest multinational retail-clothing companies in the world. As a result of massive criticism from campaigning non-profit organizations and news media reports that blamed H&M for unfair and substandard working conditions in their ancillary industries, in 1997 the company began to develop a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program and a code of conduct. Today H&M has a wide-ranging, broadly integrated CSR program. As a part of its commitment, the company implemented a strategy to “Use Natural Resources Responsibly”. The use of organic cotton, which is understood as cotton grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, is one part of the strategy. In 2010, the company was hit by a scandal. News media reported that large volumes of genetically modified cotton from India had been falsely put on the German market as organic cotton and affected various companies, among them H&M. The search for better monitoring, controls and safeguards was on so H&M could keep its promises. This article discusses the challenge and possible improvements and solutions to recognized problems, and evaluates the company’s actions so far. It concludes that H&M can be considered a role model for organic cotton use in textile processing. However, further steps can and should be taken for improved control and information, and better customer and stakeholder relations in the CSR framework.Keywords: corporate social responsibility (CSR), cotton, genetically modified organisms (GMO), labeling, monitoring, organic, textilesDIESER TEXT IST NUR AUF ENGLISCH VERFÜGBAR. Bitte wechseln Sie die Sprachanzeige (rechts oben), um das PDF anzuzeigen