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Learning Outcomes

1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions

I will learn about consumer responsibilities

I will reflect on the impact of my shopping.

I will learn about the impact businesses have on the environment through the production of clothes.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

This video provides a great introduction to Fast Fashion - defining the problem and outlining the role of social and financial organisations in the industry.

Support resources: the question quadrant provides open and closed questions to support student discussion.

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Learning Outcomes

1.9 and 2.4

Learning Intentions

I will learn about my responsibilities as a consumer.

I will reflect on how my actions as a consumer may affect other peoples access to education.

I will learn about the responsibilities of employers.

Stimulus

The video attached gets students to think about where and how everyday consumer goods are produced. It gives them an insight into sustainability, fair trade, child labour, right to access education, and responsibilities of employers.

Support Resources

Students fill in a work sheet as the video plays which then is the basis for a class discussion.

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16x9 - Child Labour: The Dark Side of Chocolate

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Sustainable Packaging

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Learning Outcomes

2.7 & 2.8

Learning Intentions

I will learn how to conduct primary market research

I will reflect on the power of brands

I will identify the positive and negative impact consumer products have on my physical & mental health

How I will use this stimulus

This video will serve to introduce how strong branding influences are choices

It will also help frame our conversations about the impact of certain products on our physical and mental health

We will then conduct market research comparing different product packaging and their impact on choice

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UK MPs to vote on plain cigarette packaging

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Too Good To Go | Too Good To Go

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The app that lets you rescue unsold food from shops and restaurants to save it from going to waste. Try it today.

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Learning Outcomes

2.3 & 2.4

Learning Intentions

Differentiate between employment, work, and volunteerism, identifying and describing features, benefits rewards, and careers within each.

Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of employer and employee from legal, social, environmental, and ethical perspective.

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'Workers need their basic rights': Out on the Dunnes Stores picket lines

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Learning Outcomes

2.4 and 3.6/3.7

Learning intentions

I will learn about employment rights

I will learn about the implications of globalisation on employees

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Agency worker refuses to board P&O Ferry over sacking of 800 staff

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Learning Outcomes
3.1 and 3.2

Learning Intentions

I will learn about how economic growth can have a negative impact on the environment

I will understand the concept of clean/renewable energy and be able to give examples.

I will appreciate the need for sustainable development.

How might you use this stimulus material in class.
The video gives an overview of renewable energy - this can prompt class discussion and lead to exploring other options.

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Nike to promote workers’ rights | Financial Times (ft.com)

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Nike, the world's largest sports shoe and clothing brand, is to strengthen efforts to combat potential abuses of the 800,000 workers in its global supply chain with a push to promote labour rights, including the freedoms to form and join trades unions.

The company says it will set up an educational programme on workers' rights to freedom of association, to be implemented in all of its contract factories by 2011, the date the company has set for reaching $23bn (€17.1bn, £11.6bn) in sales.

Hannah Jones, Nike's vice-president for corporate responsibility, says the brand is now placing a greater effort on promoting "systemic" change in its supply chain, which would include strengthening the ability of factory workers to speak out on their own behalf about problems.

"We believe constructive dialogue between workers and factory management leads to better conditions," she said. In its latest corporate responsibility report, Nike acknowledges that the strategy of factory inspections embraced by leading brands since the mid-1990s has not eliminated endemic abuses such as unpaid wages and excessive overtime.

"Across the industry we continue to see systemic issues affecting workers rights," the report says.

Since facing criticism over workplace abuses in the mid-1990s, Nike has become a standard-setter for efforts to improve supply chain conditions and other companies have followed its lead on corporate responsibility.

The report acknowledges the political issues involved - around 65 per cent of Nike-brand footwear is made in China and Vietnam, where independent trade unions are illegal, but where some brands have experimented with "parallel association" through factory-based committees.

Neil Kearney, an international trades union representative who reviewed the Nike report, said that a decade of factory monitoring efforts had led to a renewed interest in improving industrial relations at supplier factories.

"A number of the leading corporations have now recognised that responsibility for workplace conditions needs to go back to where it belongs, with the employers, and with the relationship between employers and labour," he said.

The report also says that by 2011 Nike will eliminate all "excessive overtime" from its supplier factories - hours worked in excess of local laws or Nike's code of conduct - in part through efforts by its buyers and design teams to avoid sudden increases in orders or product variations.

Other brands, including Gap and Marks and Spencer, have also sought to integrate into their design and planning operations an awareness of the impact on decisions on suppliers.

The UK-based Ethical Trading Initiative, which supports supply chain standards, is also focusing its attention on the issue, according to Alan Roberts, its chairman.

"If excessive overtime is being created by design practices, then we have to make sure that the brands take responsibility for that," he said.

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Nike, the world's largest sports shoe and clothing brand, is to strengthen efforts to combat potential abuses of the 800,000 workers in its global supply chain with a push to promote labour rights, including the freedoms to form and join trades unions.

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Learning Outcomes

2.3 and 2.4

Learning Intentions

I will distinguish between employment, work, and volunteerism

I will identify the features & benefits of work.

I will differentiate between rights & responsibilities

I will list the social, environmental, and ethical rights and responsibilities of both employees and employers

Stimulus Material

This video on 'workers need their basic rights' will provide students with a basic understanding of the topic of rights and responsibilities as workers go on strike in Dunnes Stores.  This allows for class discussions

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'Workers need their basic rights': Out on the Dunnes Stores picket lines

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Learning outcomes

2.1 & 2.5

Learning intentions

The difference between financial, social and cultural enterprise

The role enterprise plays in our community

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We connect businesses that have surplus food with Charities and Community Groups that need it.

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Learning Outcome: 2.4 and 1.9

Learning Intentions:
I will examine the impact my consumer choices have locally, nationally and internationally
I will outline the concept of sustainability
I will parttake in a walking debate the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from my consumption of goods and services with a focus on fast fashion

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Fast Fashion is Killing the Planet | Need To Know

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Learning outcomes

1.4 and 3.1

Learning Intentions

Understand the impact of our individual carbon footprint.

Outline how personal taxes and charges are affected by environmental and economic changes.

Investigate what changes need to be made in the future to reduce the scarcity of economic resources.

Possible activities

Calculate carbon footprint.

Watch video on Tesla future vehicles

Discuss their thoughts on how this would affect them individually.

Research vehicle taxes - price of fuel.

From a business perspective... think pair and share. Carbon tax.

Read BBC news article.

Reflect on and describe how this affects their future.

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Learning Outcomes:

1.9 and 2.4

Learning Intentions:

Identify an ethical consumer

Describe employers right under the 4 perspectives: Legal, Social, Environmental and Ethical

Describe employees right under the 4 perspectives: Legal, Social, Environmental and Ethical

Stimulus material:
Fashion footprint calculator
Video

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

The video provides an introduction to Ethical consumerism & help students identify if they are an ethical consumer

The calculator prompts discussion on how we can become ethical consumers

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ETHICAL CONSUMERISM - SuperLucida & PopVilla

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Rights of Employees & Responsibilities of Employers - P&O Ferries

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Rights of Employees & Responsibilities of Employers - P&O Ferries

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Learning Outcome 2.4

https://youtu.be/DIGM9_FjeX0

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Anger in UK over P&O Ferry's 800 sackings via video - BBC News

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I will learn about producer responsibilities and ability to drive change.

I will encourage a broader consumer awareness.

I will learn about the impact businesses have on the environment positively and negatively.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

This video lets us look at one of the biggest and most known brands in the world. It stimulates interest through recognition.

Support resources: Use Canva to develope info graphics. Questioning in class as well as debate.

add

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Learning outcomes

1.10 and 3.7

Learning intentions

I will learn about consumer responsibilities

I will reflect on how my actions as a consumer will have an affect on unsustainable transport practices.

I will learn how to identify what is good practise

Stimulus

The video will show students the affects that transport is having round the globe

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Learning Outcomes

1.7 and 1.9

Learning Intentions

I will learn about my responsibility in contributing to the carbon number in getting to school every day

I will explore other ways to get to school that may include cleaner energy forms

How I might do this in class?

Video introduction to stimulate a small group chat on what energy we currently use getting to school . Then look at alternative cleaner ways to get to school.

Carbon counter on everyone getting to school that day.

Is there a way to reduce that number and try it out. It may lead to a further conversation on the impact of using your private car to get to school versus bus, walking and bicycle.

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OECD suggests reducing reliance on private cars if Ireland to meet energy goals

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Learning Outcomes

1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions

I will learn about the purpose of packaging and its function.

I will learn how packaging affects the image and brand of a product.

I will reflect on the impact of the environment.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?
Video will help to start the discussion.
Put students in groups to discuss he purpose of packaging.
List answers from groups.
Ask probing questions using question quadrant.

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9 Sustainable Packaging Strategies You Need to Try

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Sustainable packaging is being adopted by businesses across the globe. Learn about 9 eco-friendly strategies your business can implement.

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Inequality: is it rising, and can we reverse it?

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The UK ranks among the most unequal nations in Europe and many people feel they are not sharing in the country’s wealth

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Learning outcomes

2.4 Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of employer and employee from a legal, social, environmental an ethical perspective.

Learning Intentions

To advise an individual on their rights + responsibilities as employees. To understand different terminology associated with work and employment.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

Real life situations i.e. married couple seeking advice on employment situations that they find themselves in.

Recommend different options available so that they can move forward from and advise them on their rights.

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We connect businesses that have surplus food with Charities and Community Groups that need it.

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Learning Outcomes

2.8 and 2.4

Learning Intentions

I will learn about my responsibilities as a consumer.

I will learn about the responsibilities of employers.

I will learn about the importance of packaging when it comes to the marketing mix.

Stimulus

The video attached gets students to think about the  sustainability of the packaging from online shopping.

Support Resources

Class discussion identifying previous online purchases

Complete a student worksheet using research via amazons sustainability websites: https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/environment/circular-economy/packaging#frustration-free-packaging

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Learning Outcomes

2.4 and 3.6

Learning Intentions

Everyone will be able to outline workers right and employment laws that exist to support this in Ireland.

Most will be able to explain how companies can be active in protecting their workers rights while still making a profit

Some will be able to outline how globalisation has driven some companies to be unethical and unsustainable in terms of workers rights

Stimulus Material

This video highlights how the glossy image of a global brand is in contrary to the harsh reality of the production of their products.

The video lends itself to a discussion on why such global organisation choose particular locations for their production and the impact this can have on these and other economies.

Discussion on impact of such FDI moving away from Ireland to these low cost economies? How/Why are production costs so much lower in these economies? The human impact of these factories in the local communities?

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NYU Student Goes Undercover At Apple Factory In China | CNBC

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Learning outcomes:

2.3 & 2.4

Learning Intentions

I will learning about the rights I have as an employee in a workplace

I will learn about equality and discrimination in a workplace

I will learn about the steps I can take if there is inequality and discrimination in a workplace

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

Students will be asked to recap on the rights and employee has

They will then be asked to identity the different ways people can be discriminated against using a word cloud

They will then look at the link above and see what steps can be taken by law if an employee is discriminated against.

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Have you been discriminated against in the workplace?

Do you know what the 9 grounds of discrimination are?

Equality and discrimination based claims to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) are common and costly problems for Irish employers.

And it is a heartbreaking situation for the employee who has been told she must retire because she is coming to a certain age, or the employee whose religion or country of origin or skin colour means they are treated differently to other workers.

And what about harassment, or sexual harassment?

Let's take a look and see what remedies and reliefs are open to you if you feel you have been discriminated against.

And if you are an employer, let's take a look at how to protect yourself against costly and time consuming claims.

The consequences of discriminating against an employee either in employment or in the appointment process can be catastrophic for Irish employers, and soul destroying for the employee.

Background to Equality and Discrimination Law in the Workplace

The main sources of Irish employment equality law are

the constitution

the Employment Equality Acts, 1998-2011

and various EU directives such as the Equal Pay Directive (75/117/EEC), the Equal Treatment Directive (76/207/EEC), and the General Framework Directive (2000/78/EC).

These directives, and others, have as their purpose the outlawing of discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, race and also cover harassment in the workplace, victimisation, equal pay for men and women, access to the workplace for persons with a disability, measure to be taken to accommodate disability, and so on.

The Employment Equality Acts apply to employers, providers of vocational training, employment agencies, and advertisers of employment. For the purposes of the acts agency workers are deemed to be employees.

They also contain a less restrictive definition of indirect discrimination than the Equality Act, 1998.

Employment Equality Acts 1998-2011

These acts were brought into law to give effect to the issues referred to above in the various EU directives concerning discrimination and equality in the workplace.

The Employment Equality Act, 1998 prohibits discrimination in relation to:

1. access to employment

2. conditions of employment

3. training or experience for or in relation to employment

4. promotion or regrading, or

5. classification of posts.

The Employment Equality Act 1998 prohibits discrimination in the workplace on the following grounds

* Gender (man or woman)

* Civil status (single, married, separated, divorced, etc.)

* Family status

* Sexual orientation (heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual orientation)

* Religion (includes having no religious belief)

* Age

* Disability

* Race/colour/nationality/ethnic or national origins

* Membership of the traveller community.

In this context discrimination is treating one person less favourably than another, in a comparable situation, on one of the nine grounds above.

Section 2 of the Employment Equality Act, 1998 defines the various discriminatory grounds eg

" family status " means responsibility-

( a) as a parent or as a person in loco parentis in relation to a person who has not attained the age of 18 years, or

" sexual orientation " means heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual orientation;

Transsexuals are not specifically covered by the legislation but it is almost certain that they will be covered.

Disability

Note re disability ground: the protection available on this ground is not available where the person is not capable or willing to do the job in question.

An employer can however pay a different rate of pay if the amount of work done by the person is less than normally done by a person without a disability.

The employer must also make accommodation ("appropriate measures") to a person with a disability thanks to the Equality Act, 2004 Act unless there is a "disproportionate burden" on the employer ( Section 9 Equality Act, 2004).

It is worth noting also that the definition of "disability" in the act is wide ranging and has been held to apply to temporary and permanent physical and mental conditions (eg a whiplash injury which lasted for three months, a lung infection, stress).

"Disability" is defined in the section 2 Employment Equality Act, 1998 as:

Race

The definition of the race ground is set out in section 6(2)(h):

( h) that they are of different race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins (in this Act referred to as "the ground of race"),

Section 8 of the 1998 Act also provides:

The Equality Act, 2004 did away with the age limits of 18 and 65 which were in the 1998 Act; now there are no upper or lower age thresholds.

Employers' Discrimination and Harassment Policies

It is advisable for employers to have policies in place to deal with many of the grounds for discrimination above, in particular a sexual harassment policy which would cover all grounds.

However having workplace policies on their own is not enough as the Labour Court has held; they must be proactively implemented and training provided for staff to ensure that the employer can point to having taken all reasonable steps to implement the policies in the workplace.

Types of Discrimination

Discrimination can fall into two broad categories:

1. Direct discrimination and

2. Indirect discrimination.

Direct Discrimination

Direct discrimination is outlawed by the Acts in the following areas-

* Discrimination in collective agreements

* Discrimination by employers

* Discrimination by employment agencies

* Discriminatory advertising

* Discrimination in vocational training

* Discrimination by professional and trade associations and trade unions.

Indirect Discrimination

Indirect discrimination can occur where the employer applies a condition to everyone in the workplace but it is a condition that fewer people of one gender (or other discriminatory ground) than another is able to comply with.

However it will not be indirect discrimination if the employer can objectively justify (on grounds unrelated to the discriminatory ground) the condition or provision provided that it is in pursuit of a legitimate aim and the means of achieving that aim are appropriate and necessary to achieve a legitimate aim.

Indirect discrimination on the gender ground was defined in section 22 of Employment Equality Act, 1998, which was then amended by section 13 of the Equality Act, 2004 as follows:

( a) Indirect discrimination occurs where an apparently neutral provision puts persons of a particular gender (being As or Bs) at a particular disadvantage in respect of any matter other than remuneration compared with other employees of their employer.

( b) Where paragraph ( a) applies, the employer shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as discriminating against each of the persons referred to (including A or B), unless the provision is objectively justified by a legitimate aim and the means of achieving that aim are appropriate and necessary.

Burden of proof

In all cases where facts are established from which it can be presumed that there has been discrimination under any of the grounds set out in the Employment Equality Acts then it is up to the employer to prove otherwise. This can be a significant burden on employers so employers should examine all work practices to ensure that they are not leaving themselves open to a successful claim.

However a recent decision in APPAREL SUPPLY SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY TEAMKIT LIMITED) AND SUNDRA MULLEN shows that it is not enough "to reach conclusions of fact based upon mere supposition or speculation."

In order to succeed in her contention that these acts amounted to acts of discrimination, the Complainant must produce some significant evidence of discrimination and not mere supposition in order to allow the Court to draw an inference that persons of a different race or nationality were or would have been treated more favourably

Section 38 of the Equality Act, 2004 sets out the burden of proof in discrimination cases:

85A.-(1) Where in any proceedings facts are established by or on behalf of a complainant from which it may be presumed that there has been discrimination in relation to him or her, it is for the respondent to prove the contrary.

(2) This section is without prejudice to any other enactment or rule of law in relation to the burden of proof in any proceedings which may be more favourable to a complainant.

(3) Where, in any proceedings arising from a reference of a matter by the Authority to the Director under section 85(1), facts are established by or on behalf of the Authority from which it may be presumed that an action or a failure mentioned in a paragraph of that provision has occurred, it is for the respondent to prove the contrary.

(4) In this section 'discrimination' includes-

( a) indirect discrimination,

( b) victimisation,

( c) harassment or sexual harassment,

( d) the inclusion in a collective agreement to which section 9 applies of a provision which, by virtue of that section, is null and void.

(5) The European Communities (Burden of Proof in Gender Discrimination Cases) Regulations 2001 ( S.I. No. 337 of 2001 ), in so far as they relate to proceedings under this Act, are revoked.".

Requirement to work full time and job sharing

The Labour Court has found that a provision requiring an employee to go to working full time from part time working could be indirectly discriminatory on the grounds of gender. The employer would need to show

1. this need is a real need of the employer's business

2. it is an appropriate measure to achieve a legitimate objective

3. the provision is necessary to achieve the objective.

Equal Pay

The Employment Equality Acts established a legal right to equal pay for men and women engaged in "like" work by the same employer and the comparator need not be employed in the same place as the claimant.

Section 19 and 20 of the Employment Equality Act, 1998 as amended by the 2004 Act insert an equal pay clause, on gender grounds, into every contract and expressly provide for indirect discrimination in equal pay. Section 29 provides the same entitlement to equal pay for members of protected groups, on non-gender reasons.

He/she must be employed at the same time or during the previous or succeeding three years. The Acts insert into every contract of employment an equal pay clause and also outlaw indirect discrimination in relation to pay.

Section 7 of the Act defines "like work".

if-

(a) both perform the same work under the same or similar conditions, or each is interchangeable with the other in relation to the work,

(b) the work performed by one is of a similar nature to that performed by the other and any differences between the work performed or the conditions under which it is performed by each either are of small importance in relation to the work as a whole or occur with such irregularity as not to be significant to the work as a whole, or

(c) the work performed by one is equal in value to the work performed by the other, having regard to such matters as skill, physical or mental requirements, responsibility and working conditions.

The comparison of pay must be between an employee who is a member of one of the protected groups and an employee who is not.

However an employer can pay different rates of pay to different employees on grounds other than the discriminatory grounds.( Section 29(5) Employment Equality Act, 1998)

Red circling

Where an employee's rate of pay is above the normal rate for the job due to personal factors related to the individual only he can be "red circled" and not used as a comparator for an equal pay claim.

Sexual Harassment and Harassment Generally

Sexual harassment had, until the Employment Equality Acts, no well accepted legal definition.

However the 1998 act introduced a definition of sexual harassment for the 1st time and the section 8 of the 2004 act amended it to include harassment generally.

"Harassment and sexual harassment.
14A.-(1) For the purposes of this Act, where-

( a) an employee (in this section referred to as 'the victim') is harassed or sexually harassed either at a place where the employee is employed (in this section referred to as 'the workplace') or otherwise in the course of his or her employment by a person who is-

(i) employed at that place or by the same employer,

(ii) the victim's employer, or

(iii) a client, customer or other business contact of the victim's employer and the circumstances of the harassment are such that the employer ought reasonably to have taken steps to prevent it,

or

( b) without prejudice to the generality of paragraph ( a)-

(i) such harassment has occurred, and

(ii) either-

(I) the victim is treated differently in the workplace or otherwise in the course of his or her employment by reason of rejecting or accepting the harassment, or

(II) it could reasonably be anticipated that he or she would be so treated,

the harassment or sexual harassment constitutes discrimination by the victim's employer in relation to the victim's conditions of employment.

(2) If harassment or sexual harassment of the victim by a person other than his or her employer would, but for this subsection, be regarded as discrimination by the employer under subsection (1), it is a defence for the employer to prove that the employer took such steps as are reasonably practicable-

( a) in a case where subsection (1)( a) applies (whether or not subsection (1)( b) also applies), to prevent the person from harassing or sexually harassing the victim or any class of persons which includes the victim, and

( b) in a case where subsection (1)( b) applies, to prevent the victim from being treated differently in the workplace or otherwise in the course of the victim's employment and, if and so far as any such treatment has occurred, to reverse its effects.

(3) A person's rejection of, or submission to, harassment or sexual harassment may not be used by an employer as a basis for a decision affecting that person.

(4) The reference in subsection (1)( a)(iii) to a client, customer or other business contact of the victim's employer includes a reference to any other person with whom the employer might reasonably expect the victim to come into contact in the workplace or otherwise in the course of his or her employment.

(5) In this section 'employee' includes an individual who is-

( a) seeking or using any service provided by an employment agency, and

( b) participating in any course or facility referred to in paragraphs ( a) to ( c) of section 12(1),

and accordingly any reference to the individual's employer includes a reference to the employment agency providing the service or, as the case may be, the person offering or providing the course or facility.

(6) Where subsection (5) applies in relation to a victim, subsection (1) shall have effect as if for 'in relation to the victim's conditions of employment' there were substituted 'contrary to section 11' or, as the case may be, section 12.

(7) ( a) In this section-

(i) references to harassment are to any form of unwanted conduct related to any of the discriminatory grounds, and

(ii) references to sexual harassment are to any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature,

being conduct which in either case has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person.

( b) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph ( a), such unwanted conduct may consist of acts, requests, spoken words, gestures or the production, display or circulation of written words, pictures or other material.".

Source: Equality Acts 1998 and 2004

There is also a Code of Practice as to how employers should deal with harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace: S.I. No. 78/2002 - Employment Equality Act 1998 (Code of Practice) (Harassment) Order 2002

Redress

A victim of sexual harassment can bring legal action against the harasser or employer or both as the common law principle of vicarious liability is now on a statutory footing in section 15 of the Employment Equality Act, 1998.

15.-(1) Anything done by a person in the course of his or her employment shall, in any proceedings brought under this Act, be treated for the purposes of this Act as done also by that person's employer, whether or not it was done with the employer's knowledge or approval.

(2) Anything done by a person as agent for another person, with the authority (whether express or implied and whether precedent or subsequent) of that other person shall, in any proceedings brought under this Act, be treated for the purposes of this Act as done also by that other person.

(3) In proceedings brought under this Act against an employer in respect of an act alleged to have been done by an employee of the employer, it shall be a defence for the employer to prove that the employer took such steps as were reasonably practicable to prevent the employee-

(a) from doing that act, or

(b) from doing in the course of his or her employment acts of that description.

Defence

The acts provide a defence for an employer if he can show that he took steps which were as reasonable as practicable to prevent the harassment and reverse the effects of it. It is important to note that harassment can be carried out by any number of persons, not just the employer or fellow employees, and the employer may still be held vicariously liable as a result.

The question of whether an employer has taken reasonable steps in the workplace and therefore whether he will be held liable or not will be influenced greatly by whether the employer has a code of practice in place for dealing with harassment.

SI 78/2002 (Employment Equality Act 1998 (Code of Practice)(Harassment) Order 2002, introduced a code of practice on sexual harassment and harassment at work.

However this has been revoked in 2012 by SI 208 of 2012 which sets out an updated harassment code of practice order.

It is strongly advisable for employers to have workplace policies in place to address equality issues as well as issues surrounding health and safety, bullying, and equal opportunities as the presence or absence of such policies in the workplace can be a significant factor if a dispute appears before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) or the Civil Courts.

(You may also be interested in ' Sexual harassment in the workplace-a quick and easy guide ').

Positive Action

Sections 15 and 22 of the Equality Act, 2004 provide for positive action:

Exemptions-where it is lawful to discriminate

There are certain circumstances where an employer can lawfully discriminate.

1. Benefits conferred on an employee's family or on his/her marriage are not unlawful.

2. In the operation of occupational benefits schemes it is allowed to set ages for admission and to use age criteria when calculating actuarial benefits

3. Employees with disabilities can be paid a particular rate of pay if, by reason of the disability, the amount of work done is less than over a similar period by an employee without a disability

4. The Employment Equality Acts do not oblige an employer to "require an employer to recruit..an individual if the employer is aware, on the basis of criminal conviction of the individual or other reliable information, that the individual engages, or has a propensity to engage, in any form of sexual behaviour which is unlawful"

5. A religious, medical or educational institution established for a religious purpose may discriminate where it is reasonable to do so in order to maintain the religious ethos of the institution or is reasonable necessary to avoid undermining that ethos.

This is provided for in Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act, 1998.

37.-(1) A religious, educational or medical institution which is under the direction or control of a body established for religious purposes or whose objectives include the provision of services in an environment which promotes certain religious values shall not be taken to discriminate against a person for the purposes of this Part orPart II if-

(a) it gives more favourable treatment, on the religion ground, to an employee or a prospective employee over that person where it is reasonable to do so in order to maintain the religious ethos of the institution, or

(b) it takes action which is reasonably necessary to prevent an employee or a prospective employee from undermining the religious ethos of the institution.

(2) Nothing in this Part or Part II applies to discrimination against C in respect of employment in a particular post if the discrimination results from preferring D on the ground that the relevant characteristic of D is or amounts to an occupational qualification for the post in question.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), in relation to discrimination on the age ground, the disability ground or the ground of race, the relevant characteristic of D shall be taken to be an occupational qualification for a post where on grounds of physiology or on grounds of authenticity for the purpose of entertainment, the nature of the post-

(a) requires a person having the same relevant characteristic as D, and

(b) would be materially different if filled by a person not having that relevant characteristic.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), in relation to discrimination on the religion ground or the ground of race, the relevant characteristic of D shall be taken to be an occupational qualification for a post where it is necessary that the post should be held by D because it is likely to involve the performance of duties outside the State in a place where the laws or customs are such that those duties could not reasonably be performed by a person who does not have that relevant characteristic or, as the case may require, by a person who has a relevant characteristic of C.

(5) In relation to the discriminatory grounds specified in paragraphs (a) to (h) of section 28 (1), nothing in this Part or Part II applies to the employment of any person for the purposes of a private household.

(6) In relation to discrimination on the age ground or the disability ground, nothing in this Part or Part II applies to employment-

(a) in the Defence Forces,

(b) in the Garda Síochána, or

(c) in the prison service.

Section 25 of the Employment Equality Act 2004 made significant changes to section 37 of the 1998 Act as follows:

25. -Section 37 (exclusion of discrimination on particular grounds in certain occupations) of the Act of 1998 is amended by the substitution of the following subsections for subsections (2) to (6):

Enforcement and remedies

All cases used to commence before the Equality Tribunal but that changed in October, 2015-all cases now start with the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission). The decision may be appealed to the Labour Court within 42 days.

In gender discrimination cases the claimant may bypass the WRC and go straight to the Circuit Court and there is no ceiling on the amount that may be awarded to the successful claimant.

In cases which are not referred to the Circuit Court the following can be awarded:

in an equal pay case the ordering of equal pay and arrears up to equal pay for the preceding 3 years and

in other cases the awarding of equal treatment or ending of the discrimination and compensation of up to 2 years' pay, or where the person was not in receipt of remuneration €12,700.

Injuries to feelings

Unlike in an unfair dismissal case where compensation is restricted to financial loss, in these discrimination cases awards for injury to feelings are compensatory, not just loss of wages or out of pocket expenses.

Awards tend to be high enough to ensure respect for the policy and objectives of the underlying anti-discrimination legislation.

Lessons for employers

Equality and anti discrimination legislation has had a huge impact on the workplace. Employers need to be very careful now about:

recruitment and promotion

terms, conditions and benefits

harassment policies

discrimination policies

positive action.

Employers also need to realize that it is not enough to merely have policies drawn up; they must ensure that they are implemented in the workplace to actively prevent discrimination and harassment.

They also need to be aware of the high awards that can be granted by the WRC or the Courts in discrimination cases.

Here is a useful booklet from the Equality Authority which deals with equality in the workplace in Ireland.

Employees

Do these issues affect you as an employee?

Do you require clarity concerning your particular circumstances in work?

If so you may be interested in arranging a consultation to see where you stand. Click here to learn more.

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Equality and Discrimination in the Workplace in Ireland-An Overview

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Have you been discriminated against in the workplace? Do you know what the 9 grounds of discrimination are? Equality and discrimination based claims to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) are common and costly problems for Irish employers.

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Zara are aiming to make 50% of their products part of their Join Life range by 2022, this line of products are made using process and raw materials which have a lesser impact on the environment. The company is now recycling and reusing all boxes, bags, hangers and alarms. Zara also aims to use solely sustainable textiles and materials by 2025.

Video clips:
https://www.facebook.com/Zara/videos/joinlifemp4/10156303126530907/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDWfYkrRG8Q

Learning Outcomes:

1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions:

Identify how to be a more ethical consumer and support brands that are aiming for sustainability.

Investigate the environmental and financial aspects of a business producing in a sustainable manner.

Stimulus Material:
A Fashion United article and video clips explaining the Join Life campaign from Zara.

How might this be used in class?
The article and video clips explain the purpose behind the campaign and why Zara is committed to sustainability. As a well known brand it will start a conversation among students around the benefits and purpose of such campaigns.

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Los Angeles - Although Zara's recently been under fire for allegations with copyright infringement, it seems the fast-fashion retailer has also been working on other ventures. Recently, the on-trend brand has introduced its newest sustainable collection: Join Life.

The collection features a number of styles including contemporary designs made from sustainable materials. The apparel is made from recycled wool, sustainable Tencel, and organic cotton as cited on Zara's website. These products are also made with forest friendly and animal friendly materials. "Our goal is for our products to become increasingly more sustainable," the website states.

The brand's site also states that its products meet health, safety, and environmental sustainability standards. In addition to offering these new eco-friendly options, the store states that now customers can bring in old clothes for recycling, with the hashtag #joinlife as a motto for this movement.

Zara introduces eco-friendly clothing with Join Life collection

The Join Life movement also seems to drive Zara into a different direction. On its website under the "Join Life" category, the website states that 84 perecent of the energy that their website consumes comes from "renewable resources that respect the environment." Also, 50 percent of their stores are already eco-efficient.

It seems that Inditex, parent company of Zara, is strengthening its sustainability commitments planning to improve this area in the fashion industry over time. Besides offering clothing that is sustainable, the company seems to be changing its resources and making sure that all processes from its storefronts to its suppliers is also environmentally friendly.

The plan stated on wateractionplan.com carefully outlines Zara's Join Life initiative. Developed by the environmental sustainability team at Inditex, the Zara Join Life process shows the necessary steps the company needs to take to lead in sustainability in fashion. Throughout Zara's website, the brand also carefully outlines each way it's making strides in this direction. Zara's new sustainable approach could be an honest approach for bettering the environment. How the company will continue to improve in this area remains to be seen.

Photos: Zara

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Zara goes sustainable with new Join Life initiative

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Los Angeles - Although Zara's recently been under fire for allegations with copyright infringement, it seems the fast-fashion retailer has also been working on other ventures. Recently, the on-trend brand has introduced its newest sustainable collection: Join Life. The collection features a number of styles including contemporary designs made from sustainable materials.

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BBC: Solving the planet's food waste problem

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BBC: Solving the planet's food waste problem

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Learning Outcomes

1.7 and 1.9

Learning Intentions

I will learn about how to be a responsible consumer.

I will how to make informed and planned choices as a consumer.

I will identify the different ways I can make better consumer choices.

Stimulus:

Video will begin a conversation around food waste.

Give students opportunity to make note of what they consume and how they dispose of it.

Encourage a broader consumer awareness.

Discuss how students could reduce their food waste.

How will the stimulus be used:

Classroom conversation after the video.

Brief group activity: Placemat used where students discuss and write down what main points they think were mentioned in the video.

Mentimeter: Students will then share the foods that they consume the most followed by discussion as to how they dispose of food. Prior learning/cross curricular (Home Economics).

Think, Pair, Share. Think about ways to reduce food waste then research. Share findings with partners then pick best one to share with class.

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How can how we solve the planet's food waste problem? - BBC News

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Ben & Jerrys

Learning Outcomes
1.7  1.9  2.4  2.5  3.2

Learning Intentions

I will learn about my responsibility as a consumer and how I can contribute to being a sustainable consumer

I will develop my research and critical thinking skills as I investigate how a company can be ethically responsible and produce goods and services

Stimulus
Students watch this video to learn about how the company promotes sustainable production methods and how it values its employees.
https://youtu.be/Lu2VBQBpn7U

How We Do Business | Ben & Jerry’s
(benjerry.ie)

Students work in groups of 4 using the placemat worksheet to investigate their own tab on the website, record findings on the placemat and discuss with the group (think pair share)

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Learning outcome

1.9 Debate the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from the consumption of goods and services

3.7 Debate the implications of globalisation of trade including the benefits and challenges of international trade

Learning intentions

1. I will learn about how the goods that I buy may have a negative impact on people, animals, the environment and the economy

2. I will learn what sustainability and sustainable consumption means

3. I will be able to identify ways in which I can make choices that are more sustainable

How I would use the video in my class

I would ask students to write down any negative impacts that the production of bananas has on - the environment, the Irish economy, people, animals

I would discuss the words 'sustainable' and sustainable consumption to ensure understanding

I would ask students to write down any other products that we buy that might unsustainably produced

AFL: I would ask students to write down 4 ways that they can make more sustainable choices using the sentences
I will choose products that .......
I will avoid products that ........

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How Do Bananas Grow and End Up in the Store?

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LO:
1.7, 1.9 and 2.5

LI:
Explore our responsibilities as consumers when it comes to purchasing (link to packaging in terms of what we do with it, where we can bring excess packaging, companies that recycle their packaging by dispatching it to us, etc.)
Describe the function and characteristics of product packaging
Discuss the impact of packaging (cost v benefits, economic/environmental)
Identify companies who are sustainable in terms of their packaging

Learner Activity:
Students read a number of articles and choose the one that interests them from the section on packaging on checkout.ie. Create a PicCollage/Google Slides presentation summarising the article to include the following success criteria:

1. Explain how the companies actions benefit the environment/business/consumer/economy etc.
2. Give 1/2 facts/stats from your chosen article

Students make also choose to make a video/iMovie.

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Our flagship monthly title, Checkout magazine, is widely recognise as the market leading publication for the sector.

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Learning Outcomes

1.1, 1.9 & 2.5

Learning Intentions
I will:

Identify how my needs and wants effect others and our planet

Explore ways I can reduce my food waste

How I might use this in class

Think,pair,share- read through the article and pick one fact that stood out to you the most, with the person next to you, discuss why it stood out the most and is there any initiative you could do to help? Share your thoughts with the class

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If it's your goal this year to get motivated to waste less food, it's our goal to help motivate you. So, we've compiled 10 food waste facts to feed your brain and showcase just how important it is for us to be conscious of biowaste.

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https://bylinetimes.com/2020/07/14/modern-slavery-is-never-out-of-fashion-child-labour-in-the-clothing-industry/

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Photo: Richard B. Levine/SIPA USA/PA Images

As part of his regular series on modern slavery, James Melville looks at how many of the garments we wear rest on a supply chain of child exploitation and misery

The received wisdom about slavery is that it is a thing of the past; a crime against human rights but a relic from an imperialist colonial era. But slavery still exists in many forms today and still affects millions of victims.

Fast fashion giant Boohoo is facing an investigation into accusations of modern slavery after it emerged clothing workers at factories in Leicester, UK, were being paid just £3.50 an hour. An investigation carried out by The Sunday Times last week claimed that textile workers producing clothes for Boohoo's suppliers were being paid far below the UK minimum wage (£9.30) while working in unsafe conditions.

Labour extracted through force, coercion, or threats produces some of the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the mobile phones that we hold

Even in the present day, men, women and children all over the world remain victims of modern slavery. They are bought and sold in public markets, forced to marry against their will and provide labour under the guise of "marriage," working inside unfit-for-purpose factories on the promise of a salary that is often withheld, or toiling under threats of violence. They are forced to work on construction sites, in stores, on farms, or in homes as maids. Labour extracted through force, coercion, or threats produces some of the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the mobile phones that we hold.

Child Labour and Fashion

There are an estimated 40.3 million people - more than three times the number of victims of the transatlantic slave trade - who are living in some form of modern slavery, according to the latest figures published by the United Nation's International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundation. Children make up 25% of this total and account for 10 million of all the slaves worldwide.

Around 260 million children are in employment around the world, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Of them, the ILO estimates that 170 million are engaged in child labour, defined by the UN as "work for which the child is either too young - work done below the required minimum age - or work which, because of its detrimental nature or conditions, is altogether considered unacceptable for children and is prohibited".

The ILO estimate that there are 6 million children are in forced labour.

We are all unwittingly consuming products that have their origins in slavery. Consumers are often unaware that it's hidden in the supply chains of everyday products, such as smartphones, laptops, shoes, chocolate, makeup, coffee and the supply chains of western clothing brands.

According to the Global Slavery Index, the fashion industry is one of the biggest promoters of modern slavery in the world. Clothing is the second-highest product at risk of being made by modern slaves. G20 countries imported $127 billion fashion garments identified as at-risk products of modern slavery. Slavery in the fashion world can appear in a variety of forms from harvesting the cotton for a t-shirt, spinning the fibre to yarn, sewing the garment and modelling the final product to satisfy the demand of consumers in Europe, the US, and beyond.

Many large fashion brands and companies do not have full control over their supply chains, thus making illegal work practices possible (including sweatshops, trafficking and servitude).

As the Guardian reported in 2015 in a Unicef sponsored article - 'Child Labour: Fixing Fashion' - mass-production fashion has "engendered a race to the bottom, pushing companies to find ever-cheaper sources of labour. That cheap labour is freely available in many of the countries where textile and garment production takes place".

Corporations often build their factories in developing countries to keep their costs low, which leads not only to the use of slave labour but also the use of child slave labour. In countries like India, where textile and garment production occurs, children's small hands are better suited for picking cotton, and sewing cheap garments for the fast fashion industry only requires a minimal amount of skill.

Supply Chain Exploitation

Children work at all stages of the supply chain in the fashion industry: from the production of cotton seeds in Benin, harvesting in Uzbekistan, yarn spinning in India, right through to the different phases of putting garments together in factories across Bangladesh.

In the cotton industry, children are employed to transfer pollen from one plant to another. They are subjected to long working hours, exposure to pesticides and they are often paid below the minimum wage.

75% of 219 brands surveyed did not know the source of all their fabrics and inputs

As Josephine Moulds wrote in the : "One of the biggest challenges in tackling child labour in the fashion supply chain is the complex supply chain for each garment. Even when brands have strict guidelines in place for suppliers, work often gets sub-contracted to other factories that the buyer may not even know about." Sofie Ovaa, global campaign coordinator of Stop Child Labour, told Moulds that "companies that sell their products in Europe and the US have no clue where the textiles are sourced."

In 2019 the reported on how the garment supply chain "is infamous for its complexity". "A Behind the Barcodes report in 2015 documenting that 75% of 219 brands surveyed did not know the source of all their fabrics and inputs, and only half could trace where their products were cut and sewed," explained reporter Sass Brown.

Tackling child labour is further complicated by the fact it is just a symptom of larger problems. Where there is extreme poverty, there will be children willing to work cheaply and susceptible to being tricked into dangerous or badly paid work.

Fundamentally, our rampant consumerism continues to drive slavery. Servitude happens as a result of brands seeking to lower their production costs. Until there is a concerted attempt by governments and brands to tighten up regulations in the suppy chains, modern day slavery and the exploitation of millions of cheap labourers will continue.

This article was amended on 15/02/2020 to properly attribute a Unicef sponsored piece by Josephine Moulds in the Guardian and an article by Sass Brown in the National

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Modern Slavery is Never Out of Fashion: Child Labour in the Clothing Industry - Byline Times

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The received wisdom about slavery is that it is a thing of the past; a crime against human rights but a relic from an imperialist colonial era. But slavery still exists in many forms today and still affects millions of victims. Fast fashion giant Boohoo is facing an investigation into accusations of modern slavery after it emerged clothing workers at factories in Leicester, UK, were being paid just £3.50 an hour.

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The True Cost: Who Pays the Real Price for YOUR Clothes | Investigative Documentary

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Social Entreprenerus Tackling Food Waste 

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Social Entreprenerus Tackling Food Waste 

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Learning Outcomes

2.1 & 2.5

Highlight the role of food cloud as an organisation dealing with food waste in Ireland to tackle social issues as well as sustainability

Key terms:

Social enterpreneur

Social Entreprise

Sustainable

Ethical consumption

Possible Activities:

Show videos on the website and ask studnets lower and higher order questions around this

How can I reduce my food waste - self reflection on their own role in society in cutting down on food waste - Worksheet: https://www.liveworksheets.com/md1351391pj

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We connect businesses that have surplus food with Charities and Community Groups that need it.

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Learning Outcomes:

1.9

1.10

2.5

3.6

3.7

Learning Intentions:

I will learn about how the transport choices I make can impact the envoironment.

I will be more aware of my consumer behaviour and the impacts organisations have on a community

I will reflect on how economic growth can impact both positively and negatively on society

How might this be used in class?
'Transport is at the centre of many economic and social development challenges, accounting for about 64% of global oil consumption, 27% of all energy use, and 23% of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions'

The story of Jakarta in Indonesia and its attempts over the last 15 years to develop a transport system to serve 30M people.

This will provide students with a starting point for discussion on the choices they make in terms of transport.

It will highlight the importance of state involvement in assisting us be more aware of environmental impacts of transport.

It will highlight also that change doesnt happen in isolation or in an instant that it requires as sustained focus by many.

It will impress upon students that sustainable transport can help address issues such as the finite nature of fossil fuels, air pollution and carbon emissions, which impact all of use regarless of socio-economic group

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Learning Outcomes:

1.9 and 2.8

Learning Intentions:

Evaluate the changes in packaging over time

Prepare a marketing mix

Examine the impact of my choices as a consumer

Stimulus Material:

YouTube video attached

How I would use the material:

As a hook at the start of the topic to get students engaged.

Break into groups and identify the changes in packaging of a product of their choice.

Present their findings to the class.

Discuss the impact of their choices on the environment from a sustainable point of view.

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https://blog.winnowsolutions.com/4-ways-france-is-leading-the-food-waste-agenda

Group discussion
Students could make comparisons to food waste in Ireland

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Food waste is a huge and costly issue for the world. In France, the problem is not different than elsewhere.

Every year 10 million tons of food is either lost or wasted in the country , costing the French 16 billion euros per year.

T he negative impact on the environment is also shocking. In France, food waste emits 15.3 million tonnes of CO2, which represents 3% of the country's total CO2 emission.

These figures raise concern, but the good news is that France is currently taking action to reduce its food waste.

The French government has created new laws in recent years, regulations and campaigns to change people's behaviours and encourage food waste reduction. And also, the private sector has stepped to the plate and is transforming its operations to become less wasteful.

Five years ago, the French government started showing a strong commitment to tackling the issue of food waste. In 2012, they launched a new law to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfill.

Since then, the French Ministry of Ecology, Energy and Sustainable Development has required from the private sector to recycle their organic waste if they produce more than 120 tons of it per year. However, this amount has been lowered gradually to include not just supermarkets and agrifood firms, but also companies in the hospitality and food service sector. Failure to comply with the legislation could result in fines of up to €75,0000.

Now, recycling is mandatory for all businesses, including those in the hospitality and foodservice industry, that produce at least 10 tonnes of organic waste per year. It represents roughly 33 kilos per day, which for a restaurant serving 150 meals a day is the equivalent of 50% of all their eateries.

Last year, France became the first country in the world to ban supermarkets from throwing away or destroying unsold food . Instead, it forces them to donate surplus food to charities and food banks. According to the French regulation, large supermarkets are no longer allowed to throw away good quality food approaching its "best-before" date.

France's ban on surplus food being thrown away by supermarkets requires any store larger than 4,305 square feet to sign donation contracts with not-for-profit organizations. Failure to do so could result in fines of up to €75,000, or two years of imprisonment. It makes it easier and faster for the retail industry to give their surplus produce directly to charities and food banks.

Furthermore, all French supermarkets are also banned from destroying food as a way to prevent so-called "dumpster divers" or "freegans" from foraging in garbage bins.

The food waste law, which was adopted unanimously at the French senate, is the result of strong campaigns led by municipal councillor Arash Derambarsh . He has been designated as the person in charge of persuading French MPs to adopt the regulation after a petition collected more than 200,000 signatures in just four months.

Household waste disposal services in France are run by local authorities, and there are different requirements and regulation for each type of waste. Paris launched a biowaste recycling initiative to encourage households to recycle their food waste instead of trashing it.

Now, the French capital authority is distributing waste sorting kits containing a seven-litre recycling box and a guide. The initiative will enable 120,000 Paris residents to put their food waste into a biowaste recycling bin.

The waste will then be collected and transformed into fertilisers or upgraded in mechanization plants to convert it into heat and electricity or biofuel for buses. The goal is for the entire capital to have these biowaste collections by 2020.

It might be still too soon to evaluate how effective these regulation and campaigns have been.

However, it is interesting to see that the French government is taking action to reduce food waste. Should other countries start creating laws to encourage food waste management at a national level? What do you think? We'd love to hear your opinion in the comments below.

A multi-partner food waste focus group was formed last year with the support of Paris la Défense - Europe's largest purpose-built business district that is located in Paris. The business centre launched a food waste reduction program and five of its companies accepted the challenge and signed the pledge to cut food waste.

As part of the programme, a diagnosis of food waste in all five company was concluded, followed by a test period to see if the waste was going to drop. The assessment, together with the project's learnings, resulted in a practical guide to help other business how to change their production process to cut food waste. Download the guide here:
Photo credit: Brkati Krokodil via Stocksy

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4 ways France is leading the food waste agenda

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10 million tons of food is wasted in France, but the country is taking action to reduce it. Here are 4 ways France is leading the food waste agenda.

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Learning outcomes 3.1 and 1.1

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Learning Outcomes

2.3 & 2.4

Learning Intentions:

I will understand the difference between work and employment

I will recognise the benefits and features of employment

I will explain the term unemployment

Stimulus
This Journal Article  will highlight the situation that is going on and also discuss the situation with workers, agency staff and their wages as well as this section of the channel 4 video which can be related to rights of workers and possibly membership of EU benefits

Can use these stimuli to get an understanding of benefits of employment, maybe the additional benefits we have with the EU vs the UK without these benefits

The students could be broken into groups and use it as a research task to find the benefits of employment, rules around unemployment and redundancy and how it might relate to this situation

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Staff replacing sacked P&O Ferries workers face 'poverty pay', union claims

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P&O ships on the Liverpool-Dublin route have now been crewed with Filipino seafarers on contracts below the minimum wage.

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Learning Outcomes:
1.7 Distinguish between and appreciate their rights and responsibilities as consumers
1.9 Debate the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from their consumption of goods and services and evaluate how they can contribute to sustainable development through consumer behaviour
2.5 Investigate the positive and negative impacts on a community of an organisation from an economic, social and environmental perspective
3.6 Explain how economic growth can impact positively and negatively on society and the environment and justify the promotion of sustainable development

Learning Intentions:

I will learn about consumer responsibilities

I will gain an understanding into the impact of my decisions as a consumer

I will identify the negative impacts of fast fashion on the environment

I will gain an understanding into the topic of sustainability & how I can act in a more sustainble manner

Stimulus Material
Boohoo Fast Fashion Article -Guardian
Ted Talk - Life Cycle of T Shirt

Guardian article can be shared in class for students to read individually and share their 5 key points in groups with a recorder and someone resporting back to the group. Worksheet with questions to follow. https://www.jct.ie/perch/resources/business/blank-question-quadrant-pdf.pdf

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiSYoeqb_VY and have whole class discussion afterwards.

Students will then compile a list of ways we can become more sustainable & make posters which can be put up around the school.

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It comes in red, mustard and black, in sizes 6 up to 16; the bandeau bodycon minidress, is, according to the online retailer Boohoo, "perfect for transitioning from day to play".

It is not so much the styling and colour, but the price of the £5 dress - reduced this week to just £4 - which attracts thousands of the thriving retailer's 5 million UK customers to add it to their online shopping bag, click and pay.

Products and prices like these have driven Boohoo's profits to a record £59.9m, bucking the trend of struggling high street fashion stores across the country.

Made in the UK, at factories in Leicester and Manchester, the £5 dress epitomises a fast fashion industry that pumps hundreds of new collections on to the market in short time at pocket money prices, with social media celebrity endorsement to boost high consumer demand. On average, such dresses and other products are discarded by consumers after five weeks.

Missguided, an online rival to Boohoo, which also sources products from Leicester, took the low pricing even further this week by promoting a £1 bikini, which proved so popular with customers that the website crashed.

But behind the price tag there is an environmental and social cost not contained on the label of such products. "The hidden price tag is the cost people in the supply chain and the environment itself pays," said Sass Brown, a lecturer at the Manchester Fashion Institute. "The price is just too good to be true."

A report by MPs into the fashion industry put it bluntly: in terms of environmental degradation, the textile industry creates 1.2bn tonnes of CO ₂ a year, more than international aviation and shipping combined, consumes lake-sized volumes of water, and creates chemical and plastic pollution - as much as 35% of microplastics found in the ocean come from synthetic clothing.

'Fast fashion' is a phrase coined to describe inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. Critics say that the industry has a large carbon footprint, and creates water and air pollution. Clothes are often manufactured in poor working conditions.

Garments are manufactured cheaply, and are expected to have a short life. One in three young women, the biggest segment of consumers, consider garments worn once or twice to be old. UK consumers sent 300,000 tonnes of textiles to be burned or dumped in landfill in 2018.

Without rapid reform, the fashion industry - of which fast fashion is the dominant player - could be responsible for a quarter of the Earth's carbon budget by 2050.

Thank you for your feedback.

Socially, the booming fast fashion industry is often built on low wages paid to women working in factories abroad but also increasingly in the UK, in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, London and Leicester. There is no evidence that factories in the Boohoo and Missguided supply chains pay illegal wages. However, some garment workers in Leicester are paid an average of £3 an hour - way under the national minimum wage - MPs heard in evidence.

MPs found that the Modern Slavery Act was not robust enough to stop wage exploitation at UK clothing factories. There was a lack of inspection or enforcement, allowing factories - none of which are unionised - to get away with paying illegal wages.

In the UK, we buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe - five times what we bought in the 1980s, which creates 1.3m tonnes of waste each year, some 350,000 tonnes of which is dumped in landfill or incinerated.

Yet despite the overwhelming evidence gathered by the environmental audit committee (EAC), ministers this week rejected every recommendation for tackling abuses across the fashion industry, including a ban on incinerating or landfilling stock that can be recycled and a 1p charge on each garment to raise £35m a year for better clothing collection and sorting, a move supported by many in the industry.

Theresa May said in parliament the government already had measures in place, including a multimillion-pound grant scheme to help boost the recycling of textiles and plastic packaging.

But the response of the government was met with anger by many within the industry, where ethical fashion firms come up against others who produce at lower costs on the back of exploitative wage structures and environmentally damaging production models.

Phoebe English, the English fashion designer, said: "It is extremely alarming to see that our government has failed to grasp the true extent of the consequences of the fashion industry carrying on the way it is.

"It is a vastly damaging industry that has been spiralling unchecked for far too long. The Earth and the people on it are exploited and damaged at every single step of the chain, and this culminates with unimaginable mountains of unused excess stock or badly made broken waste clothing with nowhere to go other than landfill or incineration."

English said it was up to the industry to pull together to regulate itself and urgently put an end to bad practice.

But others are less sure that voluntary measures will tackle what they say is a systemic power imbalance between brands and manufacturers, which leads to worker exploitation, or address the enormous environmental footprint of their trade.

"The knowledge is out there. We know the scale of those impacts and we know what some of the solutions are," said Dr Mark Sumner, a lecturer in retail and fashion at the University of Leeds. "What we need is the government to come up with some clear policy, whether it's around legislation, or voluntary initiatives to incentivise a change of behaviour by brands."

With growing scrutiny of their business model, brands are beginning to promote an ethical face. This week Boohoo promoted its recycled brand For the Future, using fabrics made from synthetic waste saved from landfill.

"They are moving in the right direction, but this is a micro-percentage of their output," said Brown.

While Boohoo is promoting its "green" credentials, repeated attempts by the trade union Usdaw to talk to workers at its delivery centre in the UK about union rights are being rebuffed by the company.

Mary Creagh, the chair of the EAC, said: "If brands want to be ethical, they should start by allowing a trade union into their premises rather than barring the door."

Prof Nikolaus Hammer, associate professor in work and employment at Leicester University, carried out research into the fashion industry in Leicester, where he found employees working in appalling conditions, with no employment contracts, earning on average £3 an hour. It was the brands, he said, who held all the power over manufacturers to keep cutting their prices. "They will go to the manufacturer and say that person down the road can do it for 1p less, and they get the job," he said.

He doubted that any greening measures by brands could make them ethical and sustainable while still fulfilling the model of fast fashion.

"The fundamental problem with much of fast fashion is that its social and environmental costs are not taken into account. The environmental costs of materials and fabric are mostly offshored. The production that takes place in the UK often only pays half the legal minimum wage.

"So who is accountable for water and chemical pollution abroad, precarious work and employment, the undercutting of compliant manufacturers, the pollution from delivery and lack of recycling at home? Brands might find it difficult to make £5 fast fashion dresses and be socially and environmentally sustainable."

Carol Kane, the co-founder of Boohoo, told MPs the £5 dress was a "loss leader" drawing people to the website. She said the company employed three people in Manchester, three in Leicester, and 10 in China to carry out audits at their producer factories each month to ensure proper working practices.

Ways to take the environmental heat out of your fashion habit

Commit to wearing every piece 30 times. If we doubled the amount of time we kept clothes for, we would cut our fashion emissions by 44%.

Get smart about fibres. Cheap cotton and synthetics come with huge environmental footprints. Cotton uses unsustainable amounts of water and pesticide. Go for hemp blended with organic cotton and silk and lyocel/modal.

Treat cotton as a luxury fibre. Buy products certified as organic to be free of the pesticide burden and plan to keep them for years.

Wash clothes less often. The average laundry cycle releases hundreds of thousands of tiny fragments of plastic from synthetic fibres into waterways. Put jeans in the freezer and remove dirt when frozen. Fleeces have been shown to release the most plastic fibres.

Use a rental service. Peer-to-peer clothes and accessories rental services such as Hurrcollective.com and byrotation.co.uk aim to make use of some of the estimated £30bn worth of clothing left hanging in wardrobes. Other models include rent-the-runway, where membership gives you access to a number of pieces per month.

Delete shopping apps from your phone and swear off insta-shopping for fashion. Go shopping for clothes in a shop. Feel the fibre, interrogate the structure - especially the seams - and make sure it fits.

If dry cleaning is a must, use an eco-friendly process: conventional dry cleaning harms the soil, air and water. Use Johnson's GreenEarth system or a dedicated eco cleaner such as Blanc.

Additional reporting by Lucy Siegle

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The story of a £4 Boohoo dress: cheap clothes at a high cost

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It comes in red, mustard and black, in sizes 6 up to 16; the bandeau bodycon minidress, is, according to the online retailer Boohoo, "perfect for transitioning from day to play".

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Negative & Positive effects of an Organization on a community

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Negative & Positive effects of an Organization on a community

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Learning Outcomes 2.5 & 2.4

I will learn how an organization can have a positive and negative effect on the community.

I will value the contribution of an organization to the community.

I will know the importance of protecting he environment.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

Choose an organization and consider their impact on the local community.

Make a list of organizations in your local community.

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Learning Outcomes:
- 1.9 & 2.4

Learning Intentions:
- Understand the importance of your spending habits.
- Identify ways by which you can make more ethical and sustainable choices when shopping.

Stimulus Material:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhV-IcU5dHo

How might you use this stimulus material in class?
- The video provides an indication into the negative effects fast fashion has on the world with some key statistics and figures as well.
- The video could spark discussion or a walking debate with regard to the viewpoints from the students.

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Fast Fashion is Killing the Planet | Need To Know

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Learning Outcomes:
2.3 Differentiate between employment, work and volunteerism, identifying and describing features, benefits, rewards and careers within each
2.4 Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of employer and employee from a legal, social, environmental and ethical perspective
2.6 Discuss the impact of digital technologies on an organisation, debating the associated rewards and costs

Learning Intentions:
Students will be able to distinguish between different types of employment -  'permanent' and 'temporary' contract work, flexi-time, part-time and 'self-employed' work.

Students will gain an understanding of the 'Gig Economy' or the 'Platform Economy' and how digital technologies have enabled this.

Students will evaluate the impact of the 'Gig Economy' on worker rights and the discuss whether these workers are 'employees' or 'self-employed' and the impact this will have on the rights of the workers and responsibilities of Companies involved e.g. DELIVEROO.

STIMULUS MATERIAL:
EURONEWS clip on the Gig Economy which introduces the idea but also provides arguments both in favour and against. Students could make a list of the pros/cons while watching the clip.

Students could also read the article on the European Union's attempt to change these laws in the future https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/economy/arid-40762842.html - and perhaps VOTE - using Mentimeter on whether they would in favour of changing the law to make Gig Workers 'employees'.

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The Gig Economy: flexible freedom or wage slavery?

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Learning outcomes
1.7, 1.9, 2.4 3.7
Learning intentions:
I will learn about the responsibilities of a consumer
I will reflect upon the decisions I make in my consumption of goods and services

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Tony's Chocolonely - the story of an unusual chocolate bar

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Learning Outcomes: 2.3 and 2.4
Learning Intentions:
- the rights of employees
- the responsibilities of employers
- the laws that protect employees
- the role of trade unions

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Sign up for alerts from The Irish Times

Just click on "Allow Notifications" on the message appearing on your browser to activate them.

We will send you a quick reminder in the future, in case you change your mind.

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The waiters who took on the Ivy restaurant - and won

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Sign up for alerts from The Irish Times Just click on "Allow Notifications" on the message appearing on your browser to activate them. We will send you a quick reminder in the future, in case you change your mind.

# data[].attributes.body
Learning Outcomes:
1.7, 3.1 and 3.2

Learning Intentions:

Become more aware of the responsibilities I have as a consumer and then as an adult

explore the impact my decisions can have on the environment and sustainability

understand how resources are scarce and we need to make choices

explore the role of supply and demand - with a view to Russia and Ukraine and creating clean energy

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

explore some of the key terms first to identify understanding of topic and what will be discussed

look at clean energy from 2 perspectives: 1. electric cars 2. renewable energy in homes

students will be put into groups and each group will work on 1 of the above topics

within the group they will explore the following: 1. latest media information on the topic 2. grants and aids available (for cars and renewable energy) 3. explore what the options are in each area (air to water, solar panels, hybrid) 4. the impact that decisions will have moving forward 5. what is our government doing to create cleaner energy?

Homework/Extra Material:

listen to the David McWilliams podcast on "why climate change is an investment, not a cost" with Eric Lonergan and Corinne Sawers

create a number of questions for the next class to identify learning and information learned from the podcast.

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Learning Outcomes
1.9
2.5

Learning Intentions
-I will learn about the function of packaging
-I will reflect on the impact of packaging

Stimulus Material
-Instagram Page, Easy Eco Tips

How I would use this material
-Logo Quiz
-Discussion about branding & packaging
-Pair Work, when you shop, what does packaging look like?
-what happens to packaging after?
-Use of Instagram page and class discussion

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Tony’s Chocoloney unequal chocolate bars for workers unequal rights 

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Tony’s Chocoloney unequal chocolate bars for workers unequal rights 

# data[].attributes.body
Learning Outcomes:
2.3 and 2.4
Learning intentions:
- I will understand the social, environmental and ethical decisions that impact employees and employers

- I will differentiate between rights and responsibilities of employers and employees

Stimulus Materials:
The attached video highlights the importance of how some companies push for equal rights for employees.

It shows how some companies work for their employees and a particular industry to work together.

It highlights the importance of responsibilities of employers.

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Learning Outcomes

1.1 & 1.9

Learning Intentions

I will identify what is a need and a want

I will reflect on the impact of my choices economically, socially and environmentally

I will examine how sustainable my choices are

Stimulus

Watch the video attached
Do they agree with the view
Is it realistic for them
How will their choices affect their pocket money
Finally a room debate - where will they stand

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Why SHEIN is a brand I will never recommend: Fast Fashion at its worst ǀ Justine Leconte

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Inequality facts and how to address them.
https://www.oxfam.org/en/take-action/campaigns/fight-inequality-beat-poverty/its-time-end-extreme-inequality

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Extreme inequality is hurting us all - damaging economic growth, fueling crime, and squandering the hopes and ambitions of billions who are trapped at the bottom with no way out. It stops us from beating poverty and achieving equality between women and men.

Such stark inequality is not inevitable - it is the consequence of political and economic choices. With extreme wealth comes power and influence - we're living in a world where the rules are rigged in favour of the few and at the expense of the many. So while the wealth of the few grows greater, the poorest are left behind.

The inequality crisis is also being fueled by the use of tax havens that allows multinational companies and super rich individuals to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. As much as $7.6 trillion of personal wealth is being hidden in offshore accounts, and it has a devastating impact on poorer countries.

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It's time to end extreme inequality | Oxfam International

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Extreme inequality is hurting us all - damaging economic growth, fueling crime, and squandering the hopes and ambitions of billions who are trapped at the bottom with no way out. It stops us from beating poverty and achieving equality between women and men.