Final answer:
Multinational companies like Nike, Gap, Forever 21, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Zara, and Apple Inc. have faced criticism for using sweatshop labor. The collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013 brought significant attention to garment workers' conditions. Despite efforts to reform, complexities in supply chains and pressures for low-cost production make progress challenging.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several multinational companies have had to recover from the stigma of sweatshop labor. Notably, Nike, Gap, and Forever 21 have faced harsh criticism for their association with sweatshops. These controversies often involve underpaid workers laboring in unsafe conditions, particularly in the garment industry.
The collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013, which housed factories that produced clothing for luxury brands, brought widespread attention to the plight of sweatshop workers, leading to demands for better wages and reforms.
Garment factories maintain their low operation costs by paying less, imposing longer working hours, and having unsafe working conditions, which are characteristic of sweatshops.
This has led to organizations and consumers demanding companies like H&M, Urban Outfitters, and Zara to ensure ethical practices in their supply chains. However, the complexity of the subcontracting process often makes it difficult to guarantee the treatment of workers in these factories.
Similarly, technology giant Apple Inc. has been scrutinized for its use of foreign-owned sweatshops in the production of iPhones. Despite efforts by these companies to address these issues, the challenges persist due to the structures of global supply chains and the demands placed on manufacturers by multinational corporations prioritizing profits.