Asked to send shop photos and videos before I get the job.

[Rockers]

This is beyond absurd. We have been asked to do some 4000-8000 tees for a big pharmaceutical company. Of course there is a mutli media company in between. Generally I regard them as our customer. They are based in the States we are in Japan, all good. Are about to sample the job for them. Now they request that we send them shop photos, photos of our staff, shop videos etc. Now I don`t mind sending them some general shop photos, photos of previous jobs printed if I have permission to share. I don`t share any staff photos. The company in the US replies" If we can`t share shop photos then they will need to send an inspection company around before they can make payment". Not sure what to make out of all this. Sounds like a lot of BS to me. Inspecting what? We have a long history on Google, Instagram, facebook etc.

[Maxie]

I’m not sure what they can see in your photographs but I know a lot of companies are worried about working conditions and fair trade.     I worked with an embroiderer that wanted to work with Timberland.
It took over a year with lots of forms and inspections to get approval.     They demanded hand dryers in the bathrooms amongst other things.
Don’t take it personally.

[abchung]

I’m not sure what they can see in your photographs but I know a lot of companies are worried about working conditions and fair trade.     I worked with an embroiderer that wanted to work with Timberland.
It took over a year with lots of forms and inspections to get approval.     They demanded hand dryers in the bathrooms amongst other things.
Don’t take it personally.

It is all part of the process if you want to go into export for a big brands.
They would film, interview staffs, and require you to change plant layout(eg. sewers had to be a certain distance apart).

They don't want bad publicity down the road.
Take a look at Apple and Foxconn with the iPhone.

[Rockers]

Just to clarify this all a little, this company contacted us directly and asked if we can do this job. We never initiated first contact.

[tonypep]

Sounds like a version of a compliance audit. SOP for Disney, Nike, Patagonia et all

[Dottonedan]

Yup./ Part of getting approved t do Disney work is to receive Shop compliance audits. They want to make sure you're not telling your employees they need to wash screens in battery acid by hand. (kidding) but yea.

[tonypep]

Or thinning your inks with gasoline to simulate WB for kidswear. True story that I have shared before. In these times, personal audits are trickier and can usually take a couple of days and are quite thorough. I have an article that was published by PW mag where I discussed how to prepare/survive a compliance audit. Need to dig it up. Some interesting tips off the top of my head. No extension cords on the floor, no offensive language (whetner spoken,worn or displayed,or music). Haz Mat explosion proof cabinets, PPE provided. Emergency exits clearly marked. Manifest of waste material disposal..........it goes way beyond this but thats a good start.
tp

[royster13]

I do "compliance" at my day job....Sometimes I am quite "stunned" when I walk into a business and see clear violations without hardly trying....

[Sbrem]

I wouldn't send staff photos, that's an invasion of their privacy without question. Shop photos or videos of a press running, sure. The large brands do need to be careful, and when someone gets that job, they try to think of everything that could go wrong in your shop that they don't want to be related to. I've been "examined" before, we just let our work speak for itself, and let it be known that we won't be judged on anything else. We are all people here, (like everywhere else) and deserve the basic respect that is due. Assuming we are employers making unlivable conditions and harsh, unreasonable demands on our employees irks me a bit, but I do get it.

Steve

[ebscreen]

In a similar but not entirely the same vein, Facebook wanted the names/addresses/wages/years of employment etc for us and all of our employees
before they'd set us up as a vendor. We said oh hell no and they worked us in anyways, and I promptly quit all social media. If data is the new power
there's some hungry overlords out there.

[tonypep]

I wouldn't send staff photos, that's an invasion of their privacy without question. Shop photos or videos of a press running, sure. The large brands do need to be careful, and when someone gets that job, they try to think of everything that could go wrong in your shop that they don't want to be related to. I've been "examined" before, we just let our work speak for itself, and let it be known that we won't be judged on anything else. We are all people here, (like everywhere else) and deserve the basic respect that is due. Assuming we are employers making unlivable conditions and harsh, unreasonable demands on our employees irks me a bit, but I do get it.

Steve

Blame Kathy Lee Gifford for some of this. Some may remember.

[ebscreen]

Blame Kathy Lee Gifford for some of this. Some may remember.

Their half-assed-over-compensation-after-the-fact was one of the most cringe worthy things I've ever seen.
Walking around a sweatshop tossing out dollars...

[Croft]

Have been asked a few times for shop environmental procedures, and for lists of owned and operational equipment in building.

[Dottonedan]

Blame Kathy Lee Gifford for some of this. Some may remember.

Their half-assed-over-compensation-after-the-fact was one of the most cringe worthy things I've ever seen.
Walking around a sweatshop tossing out dollars...

Not that we were by no means a sweat shop, but for a time there at Disney, the CEO of Merchandise or one other higher up “stand in” would go to every cast member in her Merchandise division and personally hand out mega sized cookies and the obligatory “Thanks for all you do”. It was sort of like getting a cookie from Grandma. Pat on the head, a pinch of the cheeks and hearing “You’re a good boy”.   I know. I should be (and I am) glad to have gotten anything at all. It’s a nice gesture, but everyone knew it was scheduled and rehearsed to check off a to do list.