The sound of a garment factory

Long-term cooperation bearing fruit

Of course, there is more to consider in a cooperation than just the sound of the factory. Lindstrom audits its key suppliers personally every 3 years with an emphasis on employee well-being, safety, minimum wages and annual employee leave policies to name few. Suppliers are also visited regularly and unofficially to deepen the relationship. The latest audit with B. Textile was in March 2018.

“We value long-term partnerships. In this way, both sides commit to taking care of the relationship. Every time we meet with the supplier, we bring our Code of Conduct to the discussion and talk about social responsibility and other sustainable aspects that are important for us. Then little by little, we see improvements,” Kristiina Tiilikainen says.

The owner of B. Textile, Mr. Thierry Biny, is proud of the development of the factory and co-operation with Lindstrom. “I am happy that we have been able to offer decent and regular income for 300 employees in our factory. Over the years, we have developed good practices for health and safety, including fire safety, medical care and resting facilities for employees. Reducing environmental impacts by optimising container loading and utilising textile waste is also in our focus. Even though our scale of business is different, we share the same values in our business as Lindstrom does, so the co-operation has been meaningful.”

“However, it is important to remember that we can always do better”, Kristiina Tiilikainen says. The sounds of a factory need to be taken care of regularly – and so do the people.