D&R Carpet Gallery is based in Brisbane, Australia and imports rugs for retail sales from China, °ailand and India. Its aim is to deliver sustainable, high-quality products and solutions that customers demand. °ese rugs are woven in several villages around the world and, due to the intricacy of the weaving, often require children to weave. In many cases D&R are the sole customer for the rugs that are created. °e directors of D&R believe they are supporting communities to preserve a craft that will be handed down and will sustain the villages.
Due to the success of the company, media attention has been drawn to D&R’s rug suppliers. A television report describes how adults and children work long shifts in poor conditions, and claims that this has led to poor eyesight and the children not attending school. °e examples used in the media report are not associated with D&R but have reflected badly on them. a. What are the issues facing D&R considering the poor publicity? b. What steps might they take to overcome this problem? c. Investigate other companies that have sourced products in a similar way. What were the economic consequences for the suppliers? What did they do to overcome real or perceived negativity?
