Editorial: Extended responsibility
Minister of Development and Human Rights, Hilde Frafjord Johnson, recently gave a speech at the Haugesund conference on ethics and human values. She addressed, among other things, the responsibility of Norwegian ship-owners for environmental and working conditions-matters, in ship-breaking yards:
"And the responsibility for a production process does not end, and does not start, at the factory gate. (...) Subcontractors and customers are part of the chain. What kind of working conditions does the supplier have? Why are his or her products so cheap? Have they included calculations of environmental measures and safe working conditions?"
If it is true that the products of Norwegian companies are in a league of their own, both with regard to environment and production conditions, but that the result of the use of the products has a negative effect on human beings and the environment, it means that the products are being misused! This can hardly be gainful for the producer.
Norwatch Newsletter 3/99