Sunrise Textiles

Summary

Annual social compliance audit of Sunrise Textiles (two cutting and six sewing lines, about 420 workers on two shifts). The conversation surfaced several serious issues: a second-floor emergency exit locked with a chain, an expired fire safety certificate, migrant workers' passports held by HR, peak-season hours of up to 72 per week with seven-day stretches, and embroidery subcontracted to an unapproved workshop. The chemical inventory for the dyeing area is not up to date.

Risk flags

• highLocked emergency exit
  “the emergency exit on the second floor was locked with a chain” — Speaker 1 @ 1:37
• highRetention of migrant workers' passports
  “The HR office keeps them in a safe, so they do not get lost.” — Speaker 2 @ 2:18
• highExpired fire safety certificate
  “The fire certificate expired in March.” — Speaker 2 @ 1:28
• highWorking hours up to 72 per week, 7 days in a row
  “it can go up to seventy two hours, sometimes seven days in a row” — Speaker 2 @ 0:54
• highUnauthorised subcontracting
  “we send some of the embroidery work to a small workshop in the next village” — Speaker 2 @ 0:29
• mediumOvertime not clearly voluntary
  “Voluntary, yes, mostly.” — Speaker 2 @ 1:12
• mediumChemical inventory not updated
  “The full inventory list I will need to send you later, it is not updated.” — Speaker 2 @ 2:02

Findings

• Production capacity

  Two cutting lines and six sewing lines with about 420 workers on two shifts.

  “about four hundred and twenty workers in total, on two shifts” — Speaker 2 @ 0:13
• Unapproved embroidery subcontractor

  Peak-season embroidery goes to a family workshop in the next village that is not on the buyer's approved list.

  “they are not on your approved list yet” — Speaker 2 @ 0:29
• Excessive working hours

  A normal week is 60 hours; in peak season it reaches 72 hours, sometimes seven days in a row.

  “it can go up to seventy two hours, sometimes seven days in a row” — Speaker 2 @ 0:54
• Overtime may not be voluntary

  Management tells team leaders which lines must stay, which undermines the claim that overtime is voluntary.

  “We tell the team leaders which lines must stay.” — Speaker 2 @ 1:12
• Fire certificate expired

  The fire safety certificate expired in March; the renewal inspection is booked but has not happened.

  “The fire certificate expired in March.” — Speaker 2 @ 1:28
• Emergency exit locked

  The second-floor emergency exit was locked with a chain to prevent theft; the key is held by the security guard.

  “the emergency exit on the second floor was locked with a chain” — Speaker 1 @ 1:37
• Chemical inventory outdated

  Safety data sheets exist for most chemicals, but the full chemical inventory is not updated.

  “it is not updated” — Speaker 2 @ 2:02
• Passports held by employer

  HR keeps migrant workers' passports in a safe.

  “The HR office keeps them in a safe” — Speaker 2 @ 2:18

Missing documents

• Valid fire safety certificate (or proof of the booked renewal inspection)
• Name, address and approval status of the embroidery subcontractor
• Time records and payroll showing overtime premium for peak season
• Signed voluntary overtime consent records
• Complete, updated chemical inventory for the dyeing area
• Safety data sheets for all chemicals in use
• Passport custody policy and signed worker consent forms

Follow-up questions

1. When exactly is the fire department inspection scheduled, and what interim fire safety measures are in place?
2. Will the second-floor emergency exit be unlocked during all working hours, and how will this be verified?
3. Can the embroidery workshop be audited before the next peak season?
4. How many workers exceeded 60 hours per week last peak season, and how often were seven-day stretches worked?
5. How do workers refuse overtime, and has anyone ever done so?
6. Can migrant workers keep their own passports, with a lockable personal locker offered instead of HR custody?
7. Which chemicals are missing safety data sheets, and when will the updated inventory be sent?

Transcript

1. 0:00Speaker 1Good morning. Thanks for having us. This is the annual social compliance audit for Sunrise Textiles. Can you start by walking me through your production capacity?
2. 0:13Speaker 2Of course. We run two cutting lines and six sewing lines, about four hundred and twenty workers in total, on two shifts.
3. 0:23Speaker 1And is all production done here at this facility, or do you use any other sites?
4. 0:29Speaker 2Mostly here. During peak season we send some of the embroidery work to a small workshop in the next village. It is a family business, they are not on your approved list yet, but the quality is good.
5. 0:43Speaker 1Understood. I will need the name and address of that workshop. Let's talk about working hours. What is a normal week for a sewing operator?
6. 0:54Speaker 2Normally sixty hours. In peak season, honestly, it can go up to seventy two hours, sometimes seven days in a row, because the orders come in late.
7. 1:06Speaker 1Are those overtime hours voluntary, and are they paid at the premium rate?
8. 1:12Speaker 2They are paid. Voluntary, yes, mostly. We tell the team leaders which lines must stay.
9. 1:21Speaker 1Okay. Moving to health and safety. Can I see your fire safety certificate?
10. 1:28Speaker 2The fire certificate expired in March. The renewal inspection is booked, but the fire department has not come yet.
11. 1:37Speaker 1During the walk I noticed the emergency exit on the second floor was locked with a chain. Why is that?
12. 1:44Speaker 2That was because of theft from the warehouse. We keep the key with the security guard, so it can be opened quickly.
13. 1:53Speaker 1That exit must be unlocked during working hours. Do you keep a chemical inventory and safety data sheets for the dyeing area?
14. 2:02Speaker 2We have the safety data sheets for most chemicals. The full inventory list I will need to send you later, it is not updated.
15. 2:11Speaker 1One last question. For the migrant workers in the dormitory, who keeps their passports?
16. 2:18Speaker 2The HR office keeps them in a safe, so they do not get lost. Workers can ask for them anytime.
17. 2:26Speaker 1Thank you. I will summarise the findings and send you a list of follow up items and the documents we still need.