A clear leader in the field of football, British-born Umbro continues to manufacture, market, and sell a range of football products, including apparel, footwear, and other accessories for performance and leisure use. Umbro sponsors some of the world's best, including the Brazilian national football team, as well as world-famous players like Liverpool's Michael Owen.

Founded in 1920 by Harold Humphreys, the company was bought by equity fund manager, Doughty Hanson & Co., in 1999 for £90 million. It is currently up for sale again, with a price tag of £300 million. No public information is available on its sales and profits, because it is privately owned. Most of Umbro's products are sourced from China and Vietnam, and, to a lesser extent, Indonesia and other low-cost countries.

Targeted by the campaign on the use of child labour in football production in 1997, in addition to campaigns on the use of 'sweatshop' labour in its supply-chain, Umbro introduced a Code of Conduct on labour practices into its contractual agreements with those factories that supply it. The company claims to conduct regular visits to factories to check if the code is being complied with, and claims that it works with its suppliers to ensure that standards are met.

In a letter dated 30 May 2003, the Director of Supply Chain Operation states: "Umbro takes its responsibilities regarding the manufacture of its products very seriously indeed. We work with manufacturing partners who understand and can deliver both our quality and social responsibility requirements." Workers in a number of factories supplying Umbro have not, however, felt the impact of Umbro's good intentions. In interviews, workers reported the following:

1. Frequently being made to work an average of 15 hours a day, 7 days a week during the peak season.

2. Excessive production targets and being made to work overtime without pay.

3. Compulsory unpaid leave when orders are low.

4. Wages as low as US$5 per month during the low season.

5. Fines for flawed production.

6. Workers being dismissed without severance pay.

If Umbro's ethical commitments are to ring true, the company clearly needs to seriously analyse its current policies and practices. In particular, it needs to consider whether the pressures that it puts on its suppliers to meet its demands with regard to price, delivery, and flexibility are making compliance with its code of conduct on labour practices difficult.