Company profile: Mango
Headquarters: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Founded in: 1984
Total points of sale in Europe: 955
Owned by: Isak Andic Ermay
Name of CEO: Enric Casi
Product description: Garments and accessories for women
Producer countries: Bangladesh, China (People's Republic of China), India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Turkey, Vietnam, Spain
General remarks: n.a.
Mango
PUNTO FA, Mercaders 9-11, P.I. Riera de Caldes, Apartado de Correos 280 08184 Palau-Solità i Plegamans
xavier.carbonell(at)mango.com
Comment from CCC and proposals for action
Although Mango has a fluent relationship with NGO and trade unions (includion the CCC), the are not involved in a Multi-stakeholder initiative.
The CCC encourage Mango to join a credible Multi-stakeholder initiative.
Although Mango's code recognize most of the ILO conventions, their suppliers are placed in countries with a high risk of labor rights violation.
The following evaluation of the company’s performance in terms of transparency, code implementation and monitoring of labour standards is based on Mango’s response to the CCCquestionnaire and on additional research conducted by the CCC in 2007. In the section “Recent developments” you can find additional information gathered after 2007.
Transparency
Mango has responded comprehensively to the CCCquestionnaire and is providing the CCC with some of the required information. The company works with civil society and is in regular dialogue with NGOs and/or trade unions, including the CCC. Mango’s annual report provides information regarding turnover, profits and corporate structure. The salary of the CEO is known. Once a year, the company provides the CCC with a list of suppliers but this list is not publicly available. A sustainability report is available that meets with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. (see www.globalreporting.org). Mango provides comprehensive results from factory audits and detailed information about verification activities. General targets for future monitoring activities and for improving respect of labour rights in the facilities used are formulated on the basis of social audit outcomes.
Formal commitment to labour standards
Mango has adopted a Code of Conduct that requires compliance with all relevant local labour laws but contains no reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The company is formally committed to respecting minimum social and labour standards in all workplaces where its products are made and refers to ILO core conventions (no child labour, no discrimination, no forced labour but the right to organize and to bargain collectively). Mango’s code of conduct includes measures to implement the code and monitor labour conditions in the facilities used. The code calls for a safe and hygienic environment for the workers who produce the company’s garments. The company does not explicitly require that all workers receive a regular employment contract.
Beyond the labour standards mentioned above, the company code is not precise enough on some specific issues. It does not state its commitment in relation to*:
- the provision of transitional measures that will be in the interest of the child and her/his family where child labour is found;
- special provisions (e.g. education, no night work) for workers under 18 years of age;
- specific steps, in countries where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, to encourage decent working conditions;
- prohibiting the retention by employers of security deposits or identity papers;
- the payment of overtime at a premium rate;
- workers’ right to a living wage, ie a wage for regular working hours that meets the basic needs of workers and their families and provides some discretionary income.
Code implementation and purchasing practices
Mango is committed to taking credible steps to improve labour conditions. The company does agree to pay for the monitoring of its suppliers. Its code of conduct is translated into all languages of the countries the company is sourcing from. The company provides no evidence that it has experience in promoting collective bargaining. Mango provides some ideas about what constitutes a living wage in the different producer countries but no clear methodology is given yet for achieving such a wage. According to the information available, some production sites are in countries where freedom of association is not guaranteed by law and zones in high risk of failure to comply with labor rights . To some extent, Mango takes into account the impact of its own purchasing practices. It has established some procedures to improve planning and prevent excessive overtime.
Monitoring and Verification
Mango has set up a monitoring system and has all its supplier facilities audited by an auditing company. No information regarding this, however, was found in the Retail Chain Assessment Questionnaire of 2007. The company is in regular dialogue with unions and NGOs, including the CCC. These stakeholders have permanent access to audit results. The company, however, is not involved in independent verification through a multi-stakeholder approach.
Violations of labour rights and public conflicts
There are no CCC public urgent appeals calling on Mango to take responsibility for workers’ rights violations in its supply chain.
Recent developments
In 2008 Mango met with the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) in order to gain information about membership of these multi-stakeholder initiatives. After consultation with CCC, Mango agreed to meet again with FWF before the end of 2008 (this meeting will be facilitated by the CCC).
Although Mango has a very active CSR department open to collaborate with the CCC and other stakeholders, the company is working in zones and countries in high risk of labour rights violations.