- Boohoo co-founder Mahmud Kamani pledges to fix the online retail giant’s supply chain failings
- He said he was “shocked and appalled” by the modern slavery allegations linked with Boohoo’s Leicester supply chain
- Boohoo ended relationships with 64 suppliers & factories in Leicester for violating its code of conduct
By guest author Elias Jahshan from Retail Gazette
Boohoo co-founder and executive chairman Mahmud Kamani has given MPs a pledge that he would fix the online retail giant’s supply chain failings.
Giving evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee yesterday – alongside Boohoo responsible sourcing director Andrew Reaney and commercial director Kelly Burn – Kamani said he was “shocked and appalled” by the modern slavery allegations linked with his company’s Leicester supply chain.
In September, Boohoo accepted all the recommendations of an independent review which found major failings in its supply chain in England in response to the allegations of poor working conditions and low pay, and outlined steps to tackle the issues.
Last month the Boohoo appointed retired judge Brian Leveson to independently check its Agenda for Change scheme.
Reaney also told the Environmental Audit Committee yesterday that over the last year Boohoo had ended relationships with 64 suppliers and factories in Leicester for violating its code of conduct.
Meanwhile, Kamani insisted Boohoo was committed to sourcing in Leicester but needed the help of suppliers to improve working conditions.
“We will make Leicester right, we will make things correct,” he said.
“That I promise you.”
He also said: “We have made some mistakes but over the last 14 years we’ve got more right than wrong and we’ve a very very fast growing business.
“I’m determined to fix whatever’s gone wrong and I understand things have gone wrong because of the fast growing nature of this business.”
Kamani added that “what we are guilty of, if anything” was not developing processes quickly enough to keep up with Boohoo’s rapid growth.
In the last year or two, Boohoo’s shares have surged after it expanded its stable of brands to include Karen Millen, Coast, Oasis and Warehouse, MissPap and Nasty Gal.
It had already owned PrettyLittleThing and the eponymous Boohoo.
“We recognise in this industry, when we’re dealing with an independent factory who’s not owned by us… some of them don’t play with a straight bat as it were. But we try our best to make good,” Kamani said.
To our dear Readers
Since our TextileFuture Team is retiring with this article until mid January 2021, we add the usual highlites of the News of last week for your attention:
The Newsletter of last Week
Cyber Risk is the New Threat to Financial Stability, and Peak Shopping report Sensormatic by Johnson Control https://textile-future.com/archives/62801
The highlights of TextileFuture’s News of last week. For your convenience just click on the feature.
Acquisition
JD Sports acquires US footwear retailer Shoe Palace for USD 325 million https://textile-future.com/archives/62924
Agriculture
Publication of latest agri-food trade figures – EU agri-food trade maintains solid growth https://textile-future.com/archives/62650
Automotives
The Resort Villa featured in Rolls-Royce’s 110th anniversary book – Strive for Perfection https://textile-future.com/archives/62773
Aviation
Aviation: EU Commission proposal on airport slots offers much-needed relief to sector https://textile-future.com/archives/62931
Companies
First STOLL product show at KARL MAYER https://textile-future.com/archives/62577
Christian Straubhaar – New Head of Sales at Rieter Machines & Systems https://textile-future.com/archives/62719
Zara owner Inditex narrows quarterly sales decline https://textile-future.com/archives/62934
Swiss Zehnder Group further increases profitability https://textile-future.com/archives/63009
Boohoo chair Mahmud Kamani vows to fix Leicester supply chain failings https://textile-future.com/archives/63045
Cotton
USDA – China Cotton and Product latest updates https://textile-future.com/archives/62599
USDA – India Cotton Products latest update https://textile-future.com/archives/62667
USDA – COVID-19 Impact on Global Cotton Sector https://textile-future.com/archives/62725
USDA – Uzbekistan Cotton and Products latest Update https://textile-future.com/archives/62971
Data
G20 GDP showed a strong recovery in the third quarter of 2020, but remained below pre-pandemic high https://textile-future.com/archives/62873
Swiss Producer and Import Price Index fell by 0.1 % in November 2020 https://textile-future.com/archives/62896
Third quarter of 2020 Annual growth in labour costs at 1.6 % in Euro Area, 1.8 % in EU https://textile-future.com/archives/62975
October 2020 compared with September 2020 Production in construction up by 0.5 % in Euro Area, by 0.9 % in EU https://textile-future.com/archives/62992
October 2020 Euro Area international trade in goods surplus EUR 30.0 billion, EUR 28.1 billion surplus for EU https://textile-future.com/archives/63012
Digitisation
EU Commission welcomes political agreement on EUR 7.5 billion Digital Europe Programme https://textile-future.com/archives/62887
Divestment
BASF reaches agreement to sell site in Kankakee, Illinois to One Rock Capital Partners https://textile-future.com/archives/62989
Education
Swiss ETH Board in favour of full association with Erasmus+ https://textile-future.com/archives/62795
Events
Turkish Textile Manufacturers Wait for ITM 2021 Exhibition to Expand Their Investments https://textile-future.com/archives/62588
Heimtextil, Techtextil & Texprocess: a positive outlook on next year’s trade-fair trio https://textile-future.com/archives/62950
Magnets
Finnish research to reduce mass of motor magnets https://textile-future.com/archives/62622
Manufacturing
C&S, leading player in garment manufacturing, keeps up with production and distribution of the collections of the Jeckerson brand https://textile-future.com/archives/62653
Marketing
Zalando Partners with Fashion Industry Names to Release Never Before Seen Images on the Theme of Human Connection https://textile-future.com/archives/62712
Mask Quality
Life cycle assessments of corona masks – Disposable or fabric? Here is what matters https://textile-future.com/archives/62645
Piping
GF expands footprint in South America https://textile-future.com/archives/62912
Sporting Goods
The WFSGI NOVEMBER 2020 SURVEY RESULTS https://textile-future.com/archives/63037
Success Stories
Advanced Monforts automation is the key for Turkish Hamle https://textile-future.com/archives/62592
Hydroentanglement Technology Cooperation with SICAM https://textile-future.com/archives/62628
Key role for Kipaş in the EU’s multi-million New Cotton Project https://textile-future.com/archives/62656
Sustainability
Finland leads sustainability efforts in European index https://textile-future.com/archives/62582
Switzerland
EasyGov.swiss extends access to its online services for all types of organisation https://textile-future.com/archives/62909
Talents
FUTURE/Lab – FULGAR takes on the role of Innovation Incubator with the sustainable supply chain project carried out by the young talents of NABA https://textile-future.com/archives/62920
Tech-War
The U.S.-China Tech War Won’t end under Biden https://textile-future.com/archives/62788
Textile Treatment
Weber Ultrasonic: Using ultrasound for textile treatment https://textile-future.com/archives/62942
UK Switzerland and the UK sign agreement on mobility of service suppliers https://textile-future.com/archives/62781