SAMATOA: FAIR TRADE SILK MANUFACTURER

Siem-Reap, CAMBODIA

"Samatoa" means "fair" in Khmer. Its aim is to help marginal Cambodian women living a better life through a long term professional integration: a fair wage, good working conditions and a constant training on the job.

Samatoa is the first manufacture for silk garments in Cambodia. Since its beginning, it has trained two dozen dressmakers from villages around Siem Reap, giving them a useful qualification and financial autonomy.

RULES

According to The International Cooperative Alliance, a cooperative is “a self-governing association of people gathering by their own will, in order to satisfy their common, economical, social and cultural aspirations and needs, by the means of a company whose property is collective and where power is democratically practiced”.

Practically:
• All the employees of this silk manufacture in cambodia are members and associates. Each employee acquires one part of the capital in the silk factory in cambodia. One employee cannot hold more than 50 % (fifty per cent) of the capital.
• The sewing silk manufacture in cambodia is managed by a director elected by the members of the silk maufacture in cambodia.
• Accordingly to the definition of cooperatives and social-oriented companies, SAMATOA must respect following principles :

Joining based upon free will

• Democratic manufacture management process (one person = one voote)

• No individual profit accumulation

• The constitution of a collective capital (indivisible reserves)

• Solidarity

• Usefulness and quality of products and services (accessibility in price ; respect of health and environment...)

• Fulfilment of the individual

• The responsibilities shared by the members of the silk factory are

• • Quality check
  • Stock control
  • Treasury
  • Customer service
  • Workplace management
  • Export
  • The environment
  • Production
  • Purchasing
  • Marketing
  • Sales

These responsibilities in this small silk factory in cambodia will be attributed by means of vote by relative majority during collective meetings and shall be reviewed upon request of the employees. Every employee shall be autonomous in the accomplishment and responsibility of these tasks.

• During these weekly collective meetings, the employees are invited to express themselves about topics related to the functioning of the manufacture and working conditions.
• All decisions concerning a modification of the intern regulation or the daily functioning of the silk factory are taken collectively, by means of a vote by relative majority.
• 50% of profits will be set up as indivisible reserves, intended to set up an investment fund for the silk manufacture in asia(purchasing; training, sewing silk manufacture) and allow the investments necessary to the undertaken social, economical and environmental approach.

 

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