A living wage remains an elusive dream for millions of workers on production lines around the world. But is it one brands can turn into reality?
How much money does someone need to survive in Cambodia? A little over $2 a day, according to the government, which has set Cambodia’s minimum wage at $67 a month.
Cambodian textile workers, who make many of the clothes on sale in the US and Europe, say this wage is derisory. In a report released at a living wage conference in May, a confederation of four national unions asked garment factories and clothing brands to pay workers a “living wage” – a minimum of $93 a month, or $3 a day. Cambodia is a major sourcing destination for western brands, but H&M and Puma were the only big names present at the conference out of seven top brands invited...