Month: September 2015

It’s an age old debate: are men or women better?

Although there is no concrete answer, men are winning the battle, in regards to C-Suite positions. Studies show that in Fortune 500 companies, 15% of women are C-Suite executives and a mere 5% are CEO’s (Business Insider). This statistic is alarming considering women make up 51% of the employees in management positions (Business Insider).

What is to blame for this inequality?

Some would say gender biases, lingering about women in authoritative positions. Although people may not be conscious of it, they have different expectations for men and women. In an attempt to counteract this, programs have been set up over the years to create more opportunities for women in the business industry. Catalyst, for example, provides services to help empower women to take on leadership roles and Lean In is dedicated to achieving gender equality all over the world.

Despite the fact that these initiatives are useful, I believe that everything ultimately comes down to earning positions through hard work. Regardless if you’re a man or a woman, jobs are not simply handed out. Whether it be having a special skill or being able to speak 5 languages, when it comes down to it, you are hired for what you are able to bring to the table. Your contributions to the company is the key into the C-Suite.

Sources:

Bloomberg: Women’s C-Suite Equality is Only 100 Years Away

Business Insider: ‘Lean In’ Isn’t Enough: Women’s Progress In Leadership Has Stalled

Fast Company: The Business Case for Women in the C-Suite

Forbes: Hidden Bias Prevents Gender Equality In The C-Suite

 

 

Picture this: While inside a clothing store, you overhear a customer complaining to an employee. She is looking for additional sizes, but the manager replies, “I’m sorry but one size fits most. It doesn’t fit all.”

Touched upon in Eileen Li’s blog, Brandy Melville, an Italian brand, recently expanded with over 30 locations in USA and 10 stores within Canada. It’s target market is teenage girls…assuming they can fit into the retailer’s clothes.

Coining the term “Brandy Babes”, Brandy Melville is not only selling clothing but also an ideal that girls everywhere are buying into. This aesthetic is largely promoted through Instagram, where pictures of Brandy Melville models are uploaded at least once a day. With 3.0 million followers, their customers are constantly receiving exposure to the brand.

Although Brandy Melville has received lots of negative feedback, I agree with Eileen that the store should “not be attacked for it’s exclusiveness”. However, the company should consider catering towards all customers. Speaking from personal experience, employees are required to wear Brandy clothing while working. By this logic, the company only hires “skinny” girls, reinforcing the company’s image. Consequently, the store is limited in hiring and target audience. Competing stores are now producing “dupes” in a wider range of sizes, satisfying those unhappy with Brandy Melville . Inevitably, the brand’s profit margins will suffer due to narrow-minded thinking and the world will see the fall of the Brandy Babe.

 

 

Sources:

Brandy Melville Official Site

Huffington Post: An Open Letter to Brandy Melville

Smells Like Teen Spirit: Inside the Secretive World of Brandy Melville

Yahoo Finance: Hottest Teen Retailer Sells Only to “Skinny Girls”

 

 

In the ruthless, dog-eat-dog world of business, companies are doing all they can to stay competitive. Attempting to bring in more profit, some businesses are electing to use locally sourced products and in turn, raise their prices, while others are opting for a different route: cheaper labour.

Nestlé is a company that falls under the latter category. Their products range from baby food to coffee to bottled water. However, they are best known for their chocolate. Aéro, Coffee Crisp, KitKat, and Smarties, to name a few, are the foundation of every trick-or-treaters bag at Halloween time. Although these sweet treats bring delight to the majority of children, there are a select few who do not share this same sentiment.

Child labour is still proving to be a persistent problem on Nestlé’s cocoa farms, which have 83 workers under the age of 18 in their employ, as of December 2014. Expecting adolescents to use machetes bigger than themselves in order to cut costs is morally and ethically wrong in numerous ways. Not only does this put the children in danger, but it also denies them potential educational opportunities. Without proper schooling, they will be limited to very few jobs in the future. In addition, Nestlé is in direct violation of their employees’ Human Rights, as outlined by the United Nations. Although it explicitly says in their Supplier Code of Conduct that they acknowledge child labour is prohibited, their actions and choices obviously contradict it. This company’s behaviour has been unacceptable but they have done little to improve the situation as Nestlé’s sole focus is earning more money and they do not care at whose expense.

Sources:

Child Labour on Nestlé Farms: Chocolate Giant’s Problems Continue 

Cocoa Sustainability to Take 50 More Years without Change

Is there Slavery in your Chocolate?

Nestlé Supplier Code

 

 

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