Nexus Collections has invested over $200,000 in a state of the art factory in China. It is believed to be the world’s first ethical manufacturing facility for the production of conference bags. The factory is designed to ensure the highest level of working conditions to its employees.
Nexus Collections, managing director, Nick Jones said: “We are highly committed to fair trade practices. For years we have offered the best working conditions to our workers in the UK and we were determined to create similar working standards for our staff overseas. In China, we have not only opened a new factory, but we have done so with fair trade at the forefront of our development. This has included higher wages, staff bonus schemes, additional staff holidays and other welfare measures for our workers. As the industry has become more CSR focused, fair trade practices need to be at the core of not just our production processes but the whole event supply chain.”
As a part of the development, Nexus has initiated staff welfare programmes that would be taken for granted in the UK. The new factory and the offices are fully air conditioned with modern recreational and sanitary facilities. Also, in a country, where employees are provided with on site accommodation facilities, Nexus has built brand new staff quarters with an eco friendly hot water supply.
The facilities set new standards for the improvement of working conditions of the Chinese textile sector. In recent years, foreign companies with factories in China have seen labour unrest due to low wages and poor working conditions. Many coastal provinces in China have also seen the closure of dilapidated state owned factories.
Nick continues: “There h
as been a 30% shortage of workers in many cases as people have migrated to inland provinces due to a government’s stimulus programme to develop inland infrastructure. By providing our fair trade facilities we have managed to retain our work force. Unlike many competitors, we now have stability in supply and a motivated work force. Above all, we care for our workers and are pleased to report that our facilities are only paralleled by the top electronic companies in China.”
Nexus’s eco friendly values are an important part of the company’s CSR policy. It is Europe’s leading provider of conference bags and was the first to launch a range of sustainable bags. The company is investing in further research in sustainable technology.