Got an uncomfortable question about the industry? Ask it

At our Quarterly Forum in December, a speaker on corporate social responsibility (CSR) was asked about the rapes of female workers at electronics contract manufacturers in Mexico while they traveled home after the late shift.

Without hesitating, the speaker said her company, a major OEM, was talking with its Mexican suppliers about several measures, including providing the women with safe transportation or escorts, providing them with training, and talking to the police about prosecuting the perpetrators.

Should the question have been asked? Of course it should have.

Some participants later criticized the questioner for bringing up an uncomfortable topic. We reassured him that TFI will not shy away from uncomfortable issues when they are real and when our members — executives at OEMs, CMs, and supplier companies — are the right people to find solutions.

Because electronics manufacturing outsourcing is now ubiquitous around the globe, everyone from OEMs to CMs to suppliers can expect to come under the scrutiny of government regulators and non-government watchdogs. In many cases, the watchdogs will be there first and will be tougher. The business risks have become too high for our members or any industry executive to be shy about raising questions about ethical practices whose infractions could cost net-profit points and customer loyalty.

As we get ready to head south to Monterrey, Mexico, for the next Quarterly Forum (March 28-29), we want to encourage members to ask tough questions– even uncomfortable ones—about the ethics of even common business practices in our industry. What better place to hash them out, educate ourselves and find collaborative solutions?

Posted by Pamela Gordon, March 16th, 2007