Trip to Bundhi & Kota 4th Dec - 7th Dec 2006

Chris Harrop’s Trip to Bundhi & Kota

This blog records my recent visit to the Bundi and Kota areas of Rajasthan in India.

Marshalls is a major importer of Indian Natural Sandstone and in recent years have worked hard with our supplier in India Stoneshippers India to improve the sustainability of their operations.

In particular as part of our membership of the ETI, the Ethical Trading Initiative we have audited Stoneshippers India operations on several occasions, resulting with our help in their compliance with the ETI base code in May 2006.

Over the last few years there has been a growing awareness of the issues surrounding the Indian natural stone quarrying industries and the export of paving to the UK and Europe. However the vast majority of production is for Indian consumption.

Two reports are worth particular note:

• Budhpura Ground Zero, which after reading we commissioned our audit company AQSR to specifically audit all the source quarries for the presence of child labour – with confirmation that there was none.

• Quarry to Graveyard – which specifically mentioned the work that Marshalls have done in India (indeed we are the only company in Europe it does mention) but suggested that we should do more to work with Non Government Organisations. Tracking down such NGO’s has been no small feat and enquiries with the authors of the report has disappointingly brought no response.

This trip had 3 key objectives, the first to check on progress in Stoneshippers India and ensure that standards were maintained post audit, the second to gain a deeper understanding of the issues within the supply chain in India and thirdly to meet with two particular NGO’s that we have tracked down who are involved in this area and explore where we could have a greater positive impact against our three sustainability areas, social, economic and environmental.

Our aim is not to try change the whole Indian Natural Stone industry, clearly that is the role of the NGO’s and the Indian Government, but to work to ensuring that the products that we source from India are gained ethically and sustainably.

My trip beings with our arrival at Jaipur Airport at 11.15 am on Monday 4th December, after leaving on the 3rd from Manchester, flying to Amsterdam and then onto Mumbia, changing to the domestic terminal and taking a Go Airways (India’s answer to Easy Jet) flight to Jaipur.

More > 4th December 2006