CSR vs COS

The last thing we'd do is advise a company against ethical and sustainable operations. But the first thing we advise when it comes to knowing China is to dig deeper than popular western media resources before taking any actions that can impact one's business. 

And for western companies who want to take a stand on the Xinjiang issue, the time has come to advise that even small actions can have large repercussions.

"We're already seeing a Chinese consumer backlash against H&M and Nike for making public declarations of removing Xinjiang-sourced cotton from their products," says Edward Lehman. "Also, the China Ministry of Commerce is officially warning about repercussions from 'politicizing commercial issues' while inviting companies for on-site Xinjiang inspections."

" What a company can count on, given the easy reach and viral aspects of the Internet, is that any involvement it undertakes in political issues that affect China will be noticed and socialized. The consequences can easily outweigh what an organization thought was at risk by making, say, an official declaration on its website."

In related news, no less a divisive figure than Henry Kissinger called for "ever more intensive efforts to strengthen ties" between the U.S. and China.