Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Chinese Textile and Apparel Manufacturers’ Perceptions, Goals and Structures Toward Corporate Sustainability

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Abstract

Using the moral responsibility theory of corporate sustainability (MRCS) framework (Ha-Brookshire, 2015), the study investigated Chinese textile and apparel (T&A) employees’ views toward their companies’ moral duty perceptions, goals, and structures toward sustainability, for creating a spectrum of Chinese T&A manufacturers' sustainability performance. The results of an online survey with 300 complete and usable responses showed participants viewed that their companies emphasize labor relations and righteous operation activities over environmental protection or public welfare involvement activities when fulfilling their sustainability responsibilities. After analyzing responses to each sustainability-related activity, a general knowledge about Chinese T&A manufacturers’ attitude on their moral responsibilities for each activity was gained. Following MRCS, 41 companies were categorized as occasionally sustainability corporations. The remaining 259 responses were categorized as consistently sustainability corporations in selective areas. Findings add knowledge to the area of corporate moral responsibility toward sustainability and show a spectrum of Chinese T&A manufacturers’ sustainability performance, empirically supporting MRCS.

Keywords: China, corporate sustainability, moral responsibility, textile and apparel

How to Cite:

Ha-Brookshire, J. E. & Yang, N., (2019) “Chinese Textile and Apparel Manufacturers’ Perceptions, Goals and Structures Toward Corporate Sustainability”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.8407