RHONDDA CYNON TAFF, Wales, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- British fashion outfitter Burberry has a right to act as a global company and shift production to China, cutting 300 jobs in Wales, a company executive said.
Burberry "remains fully committed to Britain," commercial affairs Director Michael Mahony told the Welsh Affairs Select Committee Thursday. But "Burberry will continue to respond to the forces of globalization, evolving its business to ensure it remains a successful British business generating prosperity in Britain," The Western Mail reported him as saying.
Burberry announced in September it would close its Treorchy, Wales, factory in March, saying the plant was "not commercially viable."
Protests against the move have attracted support from celebrities including Prince Charles, singer Tom Jones and actress Emma Thompson.
Production of Burberry polo shirts "will now shift to the other existing sources of supply, which are all subject to our corporate social responsibility standards," Mahony said.
Assembly Member Leighton Andrews, leading the opposition to the move, said, "Burberry talks of its corporate social responsibility standards, but it has no formal published corporate social responsibility policy. When I asked Mr. Mahony how much workers in China making Burberry products would be paid, he told me he didn't know."
