Business certificate award

The Burma Action Group have awarded British Home Stores (BHS) their `Unethical Business of the Year' certificate and launched a country-wide consumer boycott of BHS because it continues to import from Burma, a country ruled by one of the most repressive military regimes in the world. A long list of high-street names including Levi's, Liz Claiborne, Reebok, Eddie Bauer, OshKosh B'Gosh and London Fog no longer stock products produced there. Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the democratically elected representatives of the country, has repeatedly asked foreign companies to stay away: `These people... hyrrying in to make cosy little business deals while pretending that nothing is wrong... are clearly more interested in making money than helping us to achieve democracy. Putting money into the country now is simply supporting a system that is severely harmful to the people of Burma.' Burma Action Group is urging BHS to reinstate their good reputation by ceasing operations in Burma.

SUCCESS: As we went to press, the Burma Action Group announced that BHS has decided NOT to renew their contracts with UK suppliers of Burmese clothing. As a result, the Burma Action Group have called off all scheduled protests against the company.

Although BHS claim that their sourcing decisions are taken on a clearly commercial basis, the Burma Action Group think that the negative publicity attracted by the BHS boycott campaign was a significant factor in BHS' decision to stop buying clothes made in Burma.