Press Conference for Research on “Care about the New Generation of Young Workers; Listen to the Voices of the Post-80’s Young Worker”

On the afternoon of February 28, 2012, representative of The Center of International Business Ethics (CIBE) attended the press conference for research on “Care about the New Generation of Young Workers; Listen to the Voices of the post-80’s Young Worker”, which was jointly conducted by China’s textile industry union, Rachel Al Pa Bo Children’s Rights, and the Center of Social Responsibility. Attendees included Mr. David Wass, Attaché, the minister counselor of the Swedish Embassy and the director for the Center of Social Responsibility; Ms. Zhang Li, Vice president of Institute of international labor and social security, Ministry of Human Resource and Social Security; Mr. Zhang Junfeng, the deputy director of in state labor institute of the department of social security.  Also in attendance were a number of corporate, academic, and young worker representatives involved in the press conference.

This research lasted around four months, culminating in the collection of almost 700 samples from six textile clothing and food enterprises. Findings showed that 90.4% have junior school education or above, 88.7% are from families with several children, 92.3% are unmarried, and half are going to other cities to work post-graduation, and do not have experience engaging in regular agricultural production.  In the press conference, the representatives of young workers expressed a wish to attend technical training and receive higher salaries in the future.  The researchers reported that the “post 80’s” young workers regarded themselves as a generation paying more attention on achieving self value, having stronger self-esteem, and a longing for independence. They wish to improve themselves in order to live a decent and respectful life; they wish to have their own time and space, and to gain independence.

CIBE deeply analyzed into the outcomes of this research. As a practitioner in the field of business ethics, CIBE believes that an increased sense of social responsibility by the corporations they serve, an improvement of working and living conditions, as well as the joint effort of the government, community, and society as a whole are the indispensable ingredients to finally create a happy life for the young workers.