What buyers ask about working conditions, answered

Brands, especially smaller ones placing their first order in India, often ask about working conditions before they ask about price. We think they should. Here are the questions we hear most, and our plain answers.

How are workers paid? Every worker is paid a monthly wage at or above the state minimum for their grade, by bank transfer on the 7th of each month. Pay slips are printed in Kannada, Tamil and English. Provident fund and state insurance are deducted and paid for every worker.

What are the hours? A standard shift is 8 hours, six days a week, from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm with an hour of breaks. Overtime is voluntary, capped at two hours a day and paid at double rate. In peak months some lines work Saturday afternoons, but never on Sundays.

Is the building safe? Our factory has two fire exits per floor, marked escape routes, extinguishers on every line and a fire drill every quarter. An independent building and fire safety audit is done every year. About 70 percent of our workers are women, so we run a crèche on site for children up to six, a women’s grievance committee and buses on two routes for late shifts. Can we check? Yes. We share the reports of our yearly independent social audit with buyers on request, and you are welcome to visit without notice during working hours. If you find something that worries you, tell us directly. We would rather hear it from you than from an inspector.