It’s more important than ever to comply with minimum employment standards
An increasing number of people are choosing which organisations to buy from based on how they treat their workers.
The findings show it’s more important than ever for businesses to comply with minimum employment standards. Moreover, they should have assurance systems in place to ensure workers are being treated fairly and prevent any negative effects on their branding and bottom line.
That’s according to Employment Services General Manager, George Mason.
The findings come from the recently released New Zealand Consumer Survey which found that 48% of respondents will always, or most of the time, consider purchases based on knowledge of how the business treats its workers. This was 11% more than in the 2016 survey.
The survey also found that 18-26 year-olds, females, and consumers with more knowledge about consumer rights are more likely to consider how workers are treated, when making purchase decisions.
Additionally, it’s important to note consumers who are self-employed or running their own business are more likely than consumers overall to always consider worker rights before purchasing.
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This suggests that many business owners are already aware of the importance of worker rights, and that it’s becoming best practice for businesses to address these issues.
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“We encourage all businesses to undertake checks of their own and their supply chain’s employment practices, including conducting labour rights risk assessments,” said Mason.
“Businesses with a good reputation for their sustainable practices, creating ethically produced goods with assurances workers are treated fairly in their business, will be able to rise to the consumer demand.
“As this survey shows, nearly half of all consumers will consider not buying from those who don’t.”