Shoe-gazing
How much do you know about your footwear? We would probably expect manufacturers to talk about their supply chains, their labour practices, in short, their corporate social responsibility. But, for some reason, there isn’t as much information out there as you might like.
Perhaps Britain’s best known shoe company is Clarks, or C&J Clark Ltd, to be proper. They are a private company, which can sometimes lead to a lack of communications activity/transparency, but at least their website contains some pertinent information. Clarks’ statement on their leather supply chain can be found here.
What do you think? Convinced that the company is taking this issue seriously?
Some shoe companies, who are largely based in the US, are taking a more proactive approach to their CSR communications, perhaps because CSR and sustainability form an integral part of their business models. My favourite – Simple Shoes. The company provides detailed Ethical Supply Chain Guidelines, as well as a good amount of information on the materials that go into their shoes, all in an honest-feeling, creative fashion. Patagonia aren’t far behind, with a very different communications style to Simple, but one of at least equal depth.
A look around at some other UK manufacturers and retailers didn’t turn up much on the CSR front, nor did I find many companies looking at alternative materials that might be considered more sustainable than leather. However, according to the Co-operative Bank, the market for ‘green’ products and services grew 5% through the recession, with some ‘ethical’ brands such as Terra Plana making headway on the high street. This makes me think that the British consumer is taking more of an interest in what’s on their feet and, as such, it might be time for our more established companies to up the ante, or risk being left behind.
