Putting an end to slavery means understanding the supply chain
Slavery still exists around the world today Unfortunately, slavery is not just a historical blight that modern-day ethics and awareness put an end to. Slavery, in the form of, among other things, human trafficking, servitude, forced labour, exploitation of workers, deceptive recruiting for labour and services, debt bondage and forced marriage exists in Australia and […]
Read MoreSustainable Procurement is now easier.
Sustainable Procurement helps responsible organisations to integrate sustainability into their organisation and extend their influence through the supply chain. A new Standard on Sustainable Procurement, ISO 20400, has recently been released. The Sustainable Procurement Standard provides guidance to organisations, assisting them to make better purchasing decisions by assessing the sustainability and ethics of their suppliers. There are […]
Read MoreSmall businesses to be protected from unfair terms in contracts
The Competition and Consumer Act and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act have been amended to extend the protections that consumers had against unfair contracts to small businesses. What contracts do these amendments apply to? They apply to most standard form contracts for the supply of goods or services or the grant of an […]
Read MoreEnergy Efficiency Claims: cars and vacuum cleaners
It’s good to see energy efficiency is making headlines. Last month it was VW over their fraudulent emissions and fuel efficiency claims, which will result in billions of dollars of repairs, customer claims, penalties and untold damage to its, otherwise, excellent reputation. In a positive twist, it seems that VW may redeem its reputation by escalating […]
Read MoreAre the timber and paper goods I buy destroying native forests?
“Legal Logging” is not the same as “Sustainable Logging” I recently wrote about illegal logging and the damage it does to forests, indigenous people, wildlife, and the world’s climate. Australia has passed a law (The Illegal Logging Prohibition Act) to try to stop the importation of illegally logged timber, or the processing of illegally logged […]
Read MoreSamsung: an example of why a business needs an effective Compliance Program to manage its risks.
Washing machine fires and recall Samsung had a problem with several of their washing machines; they caught on fire! They issued a recall in 2013, however, 2 years later, many of the effected washing machines are still in the community and pose a dangerous fire and safety hazard. Samsung issued further recall notice in June […]
Read MoreWhy worry about the timber in my products?
I recently worked with a couple of national retailers that sell products made from, or containing, wood or paper. Both companies had determined that the risks to their businesses if they sold timber/paper products sourced from sensitive forests were unacceptable. Why should we care about forests? Forests are important to us locally and globally for […]
Read MorePLASTIC- how can we reduce the amount of plastic in rubbish?
I recently met a woman who proudly said that she did not have a general rubbish bin: she recycled or composted everything. It’s a goal I am yet to reach. My pet hate, however, is the overuse of plastic. It annoys me to hear people ask for a bag for 1 or 2 items at the supermarket, when […]
Read MoreFailing to give a refund, repair or replacement product costs online seller $100,000
Retailers need to know what rights consumers have when they purchase from their online or physical stores Mr Chopra, the owner, of the online electronics store ”Electronic Bazaar” has been sent a strong message that it is unacceptable for a retailer to fail to give consumers a refund, repair or replacement product for faulty goods sold. The Federal Court has […]
Read MoreWe have a Policy: translating a Policy into Practice
I was very privileged to participate last week in The National Defence, Police & Emergency Services Women’s Leadership Summit and hear some very successful women talk about their experiences and share their leadership insights. One of the issues that each of their organisations face, whether it be the Army, Navy Air Force, State or Federal […]
Read MoreDodging the Regulator’s bullet
3 unwanted letters I recently wrote about 3 unwanted types of letter a business could receive. To recap, these are letters from: -a Regulator, for example the ACCC, a State Fair Trading Office, the TGA or Workcover alleging that you or your company has broken the law that the relevant regulator enforces; – the lawyer acting […]
Read MoreWhat do you do when you get “The Letter”?
Four types of letters There are 3 important letters that your business cannot ignore if it receives one. Each one is serious and has enormous consequences for the business. Each one is avoidable and only one is welcome. There is a fourth letter that you won’t receive, but also has huge consequences. The 3 letters […]
Read MoreA business name is not a trade mark!
I was flicking through the TV stations on Sunday night and stopped on “Shark Tank” just as the contestant arrived on stage to try to sell her business idea to the investors. When asked if she had a trade mark registration and was told that a registration was pending for a similar name we saw […]
Read MoreBusiness lessons from contaminated raspberries
This week we have heard of a number of people contracting Hepatitis A from contaminated imported frozen raspberries. The berries were grown, washed and packaged in China and it appears that unhygienic work practices and /or contaminated water used to wash the fruit is to blame for the contamination. Apart from providing a compelling reason […]
Read MoreWhat all businesses can learn from free range eggs
This week the ACCC has taken action against 3 more “free range” egg producers; those selling Ecoeggs, Field Fresh, Port Stephens and Darling Downs Fresh Eggs brands. The ACCC is alleging that their claims of free range are misleading and deceptive in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. These proceedings follow the recent decision of the Federal Court in September […]
Read MoreWhistleblowers: don’t shoot the messenger
I recently wrote about the value to a business of customer feedback- in particular how complaints should be giving the business a heads up of potentially serious issues the business could be facing. Employees identifying risks in the organisation But what about internal feedback? Internal feedback, particularly “whistleblowing” where an employee reports corruption, fraud, unsafe […]
Read MoreTurning complaints into assets
What would you do if a client publishes a bad review or lodges a complaint about your business? The Broadway Hotel in Blackpool, England is making news for all the reasons it was trying to avoid. It has been reported in the world news that the Broadway Hotel has (or had) a term in its terms […]
Read MoreCredence claims: you can’t rely on standards and industry body approval to avoid fines
What are credence claims? One of the priority areas for the ACCC’s enforcement actions is credence claims. The ACCC has told us this, and we can see it from the cases they have taken action against lately. Credence claims are claims and representations made about products or services that they are somehow better, of […]
Read More6 signs that you might be unintentionally misleading your customers
The word spreads quickly when you do something wrong It does not take long for press releases and news, particularly if it is bad, scandalous or involves a famous person or well -known brand, to do the rounds of the mainline press, industry newsletters, blogs and other social media. We saw it last week with the […]
Read MoreHas someone complained about your business?
Small businesses cannot expect to fly under the ACCC’s radar. Managing risk of non compliance with laws, including the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) is something all businesses should be concerned with. The ACCC does not only deal with complaints and enquiries relating to the conduct of large businesses and companies. According to the ACCC’s latest Small Business […]
Read MoreThe real costs of cheap goods
Whether its cosmetics or electrical goods, suppliers have a responsibility for consumer protection and consumers have a responsibility for their own protection. Counterfeit make-up causing injury The NSW Department of Fair Trading has been investigating and following up on complaints about counterfeit MAC branded make-up products being sold in Sydney which […]
Read More7 things sellers can do to reduce the risks of their goods killing or injuring their customers
The news today reported a tragic story of a woman who was found dead holding a lap top and with head phones in place. She had burns to her ears and chest. Although investigations are still being carried out, she is suspected of having been electrocuted because of faulty and non-compliant USB –style charger attached to […]
Read MoreWhat can companies learn from GM’s recall debacle?
15 senior GM employees lost their jobs over delaying the recall of faulty cars Failing to act urgently to recall faulty products last week led to General Motors sacking 15 employees, mostly in senior and executive legal and engineering roles and disciplining 5 others. They failed to act an ongoing problem with the ignition switches in a number […]
Read MoreIf your company imports wood-derived products it must have a due diligence system.
Who needs to develop a due diligence system under Australia’s new Illegal Logging Prohibition laws? Generally speaking, the law applies to individuals or companies that -import paper or products incorporating paper; -import logs, timber or products incorporating wood; or -process Australian harvested logs and it comes into force on 30 November 2014. The Illegal Logging […]
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