Child labour behind global brands' best-selling perfumes - BBC World Service Documentaries

pickers who collect the product from independent farmers. A. Fakhry and Co. and Hussein Fakhry: In 2018, under the supervision of the UEBT, we initiated the Jasmine Plant Protection Products Mitigation Project, which imposes a ban on people under 18 years of age from working on farms. A. Fakhry and Co. and Hussein Fakhry: The suggestion that the price of jasmine flower paid to farmers and collectors puts them below the poverty line is simply wrong. A. Fakhry and Co. and Hussein Fakhry: By contrast, by any comparable agricultural standard in Egypt, jasmine harvesting is well remunerated. Machalico: Machalico does not use collectors whose age is under 18 years old.

Machalico: Every year the price is discussed between the owners of the different factories. Machalico: For two consecutive years, Machalico has increased the price, in September 2023 and October 2023 respectively. Machalico: For the 2024 jasmine harvest we will increase the price. Hashem Brothers: We refuse to comment on the report, which is based on misleading information. Ikat Jasmine, that is completely intoxicating. Teachers are interested in making the public believe with marketing campaigns, we have the Egyptian jasmine, that sounds very sexy and poetic. But there is a huge disconnect between the value expressed in marketing conversations and what is actually given to pickers.

I find it ridiculous. You know, they have to work long hours to get paid that small amount when all these perfume companies and other companies can sell the final products at a very high price. It is unfair. Workers need to receive fairer wages. child labor.

This should not fall on consumers. This is not a problem that we should solve. We need laws, we need to enforce those laws, we need corporate responsibility, and that can't just fall on consumers. Givaudan: The concerns raised in the BBC report are deeply alarming. Givaudan: Improving the lives of communities in the jasmine supply trade is a chain-wide responsibility, and it is up to us all to continue taking action to completely eliminate the risk of

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labor. Symrise: Child labor, in any form, is in stark contrast to the principles and standards we provide to ourselves, our suppliers, and all other actors in the supply chain.

IFF: We have zero tolerance for child labor. We have engaged a trusted third-party human rights expert to conduct an independent review of our supply chain. Firmenich: We have now fully transitioned to a new supplier in Egypt. Firmenich: We will work to support initiatives that seek to collectively address this issue with industry partners and local jasmine farmers and are willing to help fund such initiatives.

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