The subject of child labour is far too serious to be even the least bit forgiven here. Unfortunately, there is child labour practised in certain parts of India. Dedicated research by a German television showed obvious images a few years ago.

Our course of action here is cooperation with the German agency "XertifiX", which is committed to the prevention of child labour with the help of strict conditions and continuous controls of the contractually production bound companies.
 

Unfortunately, poverty in the regions concerned is so high that people are ready to accept anything as a threat to starvation. However, our approach is to handle business possibly fair. We can thus promote the only source of income in the relevant regions.

There is no child labor in China. State requirements and stricts controls are there to ensure this. In addition, families were, and still are, very concerned about the well-being of their only child due to the long lasting single child policy, so that they would not endanger them through child labor.
 

The myth that imports endanger domestic jobs persists. Of course, importing goods also means relocating workers. On closer examination, however, one thing can be clearly seen as following:

Decades ago, many foreign workers were employed in the domestic industry. Today industries are entirely dependent on employing unskilled foreign workers in their own countries. In many, and above all, heavy craft sectors, we are far from being able to handle the workload ourselves.

It is very difficult for companies to find good employees, and it is almost impossible to find employees for heavy labour jobs, at least not nationals(locals).

Just as we need foreign forces, so we need imports, at least for hard-crafted products.

In return, we are able to export high quality products and know-how. Especially, Austria and Germany are very strong in it. Our domestic industry sells the hour with value adds of around 110 euros (excluding material), and with it we win. There are many efficient and well-flourishing companies that are heavily dependent on the export of such high-quality products.

China supplies us with simple products with a value added of around € 1.80 per hour work. So, if we work one hour for China, a Chinese will work about 60 hours for us.

We can share our lessons in the finest conditions, air-conditioned and occupationally medicated, and the Chinese works for one and a half week in the quarry. It's hot, exhausting and dangerous. We live well from our exports, but these are possible in the long term only with appropriate imports.

According to a modern fairy-tale,
the transport of granite by sea costs nothing.

He would’ve anyway needed it as a ballast in the ship's belly and travel therefore for free. That could’ve been in the beginnings of maritime trade, however, today's logistics draws a different picture.

When the relatively exclusive container ships are on the way in the oceans, the standardized container units are around 6 meters long and about 2.3 meters in width and in height. In it, 28 Tons of freight can be loaded. The crossing takes about 30 days, the largest ships hold up to 15,000 such container units and can be completely emptied and refilled in the most efficient ports in Europe and in Asia in just about two days.

Container transport costs between 1,500 and 3,000 euros from the seaport of Asia to the central region of Central Europe, fluctuating highly with the current sea freight rates. Hence 5.5 to 11 cents per kilogram, which is also the basis of calculation of freight for each individual product.

Again, and again it is claimed that stones are processed during the crossing at the ship. This is not possible in any situation, in view of the densely packed containers. And what economic sense it would make to keep the necessary and expensive cargo space free? To carry raw materials and machines, not to mention the people and the necessary infrastructure?

Child labor and poor working conditions are a sad reality in Indian quarries. Stein & Co is aware of its ethical responsibility, which is why we became the first Austrian company to join the certification body XertifiX in 2008 and to be able to own certificates for Indian sandstone and tandoor. Now we are also proud to contribute to the production of fair natural stone in Germany.

The license agreement ensures that no stones under unacceptable producing conditions are imported. 

By asking the dealer for natural stones without child labour and then buying it, you are already taking a significant step. So far, XertifiX exists worldwide only as an independent licensing agency for natural stones from India without child labour and slavery, which at the same time carries out rehabilitation measures for former child laborers.

Caution! There are already fake UNESCO and UNICEF certificates claiming that the organization can confirm that the stones delivered are guaranteed to be made without child labour. Upon request, UNICEF and UNESCO Germany assured that their organizations have never issued such certificates and will not do so in the future.