A major part of the natural stones in Europe is imported from Asia, especially from China and India. The production of natural stone is very cheap there but often at the cost of the workers in the quarries and factories. Safety and health at the workplace are often neglected and silicosis, harms by noise and accidents occur at a high rate. Inappropriate labour rights, especially of subcontracted workers, also worsen the situation. The anticipated average life of a worker is around 40 years.
The mission of Fair Stone is to improve the working conditions and the health situation in the global natural stone industry.
In China, Fair Stone was supported by Chinese and German natural stone exporters and purchasers (Flyer). Its objective is to improve working conditions in quarries and factories and thus to satisfy the demand of customers, media and civil society for decent conditions of global production and purchasing.
Within this cooperation, a social standard for natural stones from emerging economies has been collaboratively developed by the WiN=WiN Agency for Global Responsibility and other international experts. The standard is implemented by the suppliers. The Fair Stone certification program is a smooth step by step process (Chinese version) with an ample time schedule that allows even small-scale factories/suppliers to get certifed. The Fair Stone logo helps consumers to recognize commodities of natural stone that has been produced under fair conditions.
It is not our duty to enforce desired results but we like to win the local management for a stable dialogue focused on the ongoing improvement in this sector.
The project was co-financed by the German government (DEG).
Again we were present at the Xiamen Stone Fair in March 2010. We focused on the implementation process to strengthen the international standard "Fair Stone" and support our partners. Therefore we conducted a workshop at the Xiamen Stone Fair.
After the fair we visited our Fair Stone suppliers in Fujian and Shandong. Here you can download our report.
Together with a consortium of six enterprises WiN=WiN partly transferred the social standard to India. Indian quarries and factories which also produce for the German tomb industry came recently under critisism for child labour and have to react now.
The consortium of German importers helps Indian factories to improve their labour conditions and to comply with social standards.
Since July 2009 we also have a Fair Stone partnership in Vietnam who contributes to a responsible, social purchasing of Vietnamese stones to Europe. In January 2010 Mr. Heinecke Werner, director of WiN=WiN, visited some Vietnamese quarries and factories to strengthen the implementation process and to get to know the local partners. You can download his report here, as well the photo report.
Since October
2009 we also have Fair Stone suppliers in Turkey who contributes
to a responsible, social purchasing of Turkish stones to
Europe.