Around 80% of the natural stones in Germany are 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 natural stone industry in Asia.
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 step by step process with an ample time schedule that allows even small-scale factories/suppliers to get certifed. The Fair Stone logo helps consumers 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).
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.
Until now, the standard only focuses on the prohibition of exploitive child labour and the prohibition of forced, including bonded labour.
The Project FAIR STONE Vietnam
Since July 2009 we also have a Fair Stone partnership in Vietnam who contributes to a responsible, social purchasing of Vietnamese stones to Europe.