From the conclusion we drew of the analysis on the different campaigns throughout the years, we learned that United Colours of Benetton is a company that fights for a multicultural world and tries to make it a better place. However, certain events in the past have proven otherwise and show that the company does not improve the world at all. Benetton itself has contributed to the unjust issues in the world that they ask the public to fight against in their campaigns.

 

In October 1998, Benetton was accused of employing children from nine to thirteen years old in sweatshop conditions. The Bermuda factory was located on the outskirts of Istanbul and exploits children who work long days sewing clothes for 80 dollars a month.

 

The investigation was based on reports by the Turkish textile union, photographs and testimonies collected in the Bermuda factory. Olieviero Toscani responded with “I have been working for Benetton for 15 years, because I have never found a corporation that offers better working conditions, greater transparency and a continual search for quality than Benetton.” Toscani said that he was surprised by the report, but still believed in the company’s good faith and said it was impossible to control the whole production chain in underdeveloped countries.

 

“If this accusation is true, me and my team would have to resign. We are the last people who could accept a situation of this kind,” he said. Toscani said that one of his campaigns was actually intended to raise awareness on child labour [30].

 

This was not the only scandal Benetton was involved in. Next to the child labour incident, Benetton was also guilty of having clothing produced in a controversial factory in Bangladesh. This Rana Plaza factory collapsed and killed many people. It was said to be the worst disaster in the clothing industry ever. The factory was an eight-storey complex in Dhaka. The workers had no rights and ill health due to bad working conditions. It was not safe for them either, as illustrated by the collapsing of the building.

 

At first Benetton denied that they manufactured their clothes in sweatshop conditions. However, the press found visual evidence, a blouse with the Benetton label and a contract with the factory owner. [31] 

 

Benetton was required to pay a redress to the relatives of the victims of this disaster, because they did not have enough income anymore. However, the company refused to give any money. It was only two years later, that Benetton paid a small amount of the required payment to the compensation fund.

In addition, Benetton did not stick to the obligations of the safety agreement of Bangladesh. The agreement was an initiative for safe factories in Bangladesh. The agreement states that all production locations should be registered. However, documents showed that at least two Benetton factories were not on the list of factories that needed to be inspected. The company did not only ignore the juridical agreement, it also kept the risky circumstances for the workers.