I have neither the time nor interest in arguing the merits or otherwise of the market or private inspections. The only point that interests me is that a great number of companies sourcing in China and across Asia have come to the conclusion themselves that inspections are not producing the kinds of results required. CSR Asia works with some of those companies to “sort things out”.

Our preferred solution? We don’t have one because we believe every case is different. However, we think that a mix of audits, training programs in factories (for management and employees), and links with government bodies is as good a place as any to start. The throwaway line implying that in “guanxi China” government inspections are useless is in our opinion an unhelpful and simplistic reading of China. As is the notion that workers want to work 120-hour weeks to make minimum wages (which workers should receive for 40 hours). Until we move beyond generalisations we run the risk of trench warfare where opposing sides lob grenades at each other but barely move forward into an area where both workers and management benefit.

In our view, there are too many people of all political persuasions assuming too much about what various peopole in China or elsewhere think. CSR Asia’s weekly newsletter translates a great deal of material from Chinese sources and interviews Chinese workers and managers to provide a cross-section of views that we believe will broaden the dialogue required to ensure programs do work.

We’re putting our money where our mouth is on this. We don’t expect people to agree with us because we have, but we’d appreciate enagement with us on our actions rather than flip comments based on beliefs about what works or doesn’t in Chinese supply chains.

When you’re in Hong Kong next time, please feel free to ring me (see the newsletter for my phone number). I’d be happy to show you what we do, have you meet our employees in Shenzhen, and if possible include you in something we’re doing in China. Then you can criticise us to your heart’s content. Who knows, we might even learn something.