Shein uncovers two cases of child labour in supply chain

Shein has revealed it uncovered two cases of child labour in its supply chain last year, as both cases were resolved “swiftly”, with a series of remediation steps put in place following the discoveries.From Q1 to Q3 2023, Shein Responsible Sourcing (SRS) audits uncovered the two cases in the supply chain, though no cases of child or forced labour were found in Q4. 

The findings have been published in Shein’s 2023 Sustainability and Social Impact Report, which was released yesterday (22 August) and sets out its “commitment to continued progress and transparency” in its sustainability and social impact initiatives.

In the report, the fast-fashion giant said it “strictly prohibits child labour and forced labour”, adding that its auditors are vigilant in assessing risk factors for child labour and forced labour in SRS audits, and that “any violations found are treated with utmost seriousness”.

Regarding the two cases, Shein said: “Both cases were resolved swiftly, with remediation steps including terminating contracts with underage employees, ensuring the payment of any outstanding wages, arranging medical checkups and facilitating repatriation to parents/legal guardians as needed.”

Following “appropriate remediation”, the manufacturers were allowed to resume business. 

Shein added it also ensured the contract manufacturers strengthened their processes for screening new hires going forward, such as checking and maintaining records of all employees’ IDs. 

Looking ahead, the group said it will “remain vigilant in guarding against such violations going forward, and in line with current policies, will terminate any non-compliant suppliers”.

Overall, Shein saw better performance on its social compliance audits across suppliers in 2023, according to the report, with the proportion of audits where suppliers received an A or B grade increasing to 29% in 2023, up from 18% in 2022.

Shein has been contacted for comment.