Staff Members - Benha University
The impact of international codes of conduct on employment conditions and gender issues in Chinese flower companies
African Journal of Biotechnology • 2010
Publication Information
Authors
Abu Kargbo, Cai-yun-Wang*, Mahmoud M. El-habbaq, Shi-mao Li, Ya-fei Li, Rong-zhang -Mai and Fu Qiang
Keywords
Codes of conduct, Chinese flower industry, mainstream, gender, permanent worker, casual worker,
employment conditions
Journal
African Journal of Biotechnology
Publisher
Not Available
Volume
9
Issue
49
Pages
Not Available
publication.type
International
Paper Link
Not Available
Supplementary Materials
Not Available
Abstract
The study examined how international codes of conduct address employment conditions and gender
issues in the Chinese flower industry. A sample of 20 companies was purposively selected and 200
workers from these companies were interviewed. The adoption of international codes did not improve
workers conditions and gender issues and codes were poorly enforced. There was evidence of
discrimination based on workers’ status of employment and gender. A permanent worker mean daily
wage was RMB14.1 higher than a casual worker. Although welfare benefits were provided to permanent
workers, males and females beneficiaries differed significantly by 32.4 and 24.1%, respectively. This
paper provided the basis for the need to gender audit, mainstream flower companies and adopts
participatory auditing for flower companies’ compliance to the use of codes of conduct.
issues in the Chinese flower industry. A sample of 20 companies was purposively selected and 200
workers from these companies were interviewed. The adoption of international codes did not improve
workers conditions and gender issues and codes were poorly enforced. There was evidence of
discrimination based on workers’ status of employment and gender. A permanent worker mean daily
wage was RMB14.1 higher than a casual worker. Although welfare benefits were provided to permanent
workers, males and females beneficiaries differed significantly by 32.4 and 24.1%, respectively. This
paper provided the basis for the need to gender audit, mainstream flower companies and adopts
participatory auditing for flower companies’ compliance to the use of codes of conduct.