China, Levi Strauss And The Long-Simmering Battle Over Labor Rights

by MR Magazine Staff

More than 20 years ago, Levi Strauss & Co. partially retrenched from China because of what it called pervasive human-rights violations, in an attempt by the iconic U.S. jeans company to put working conditions before profits. The decision has been widely cited in debates on human rights and corporate responsibility, with Levi held up as a company that dared to back away from China’s burgeoning economy even as others rushed in. At the time, China represented about 2% of Levi’s global production. Read more at The Wall Street Journal.