The sportswear company, Sergio Tacchini, is pulling out of Burma. This is a direct result of the enormous activist campaign directed against the company.

See this article for earlier background:

"Wimbledon faces Burma Protests"
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/06/293784.html

and also here for the main campaign:

 http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk

Here is the statement from Sergio Tacchini:

STATEMENT

SERGIO TACCHINI S.p.A.
AND THE DIFFICULT BURMESE CONTEXT

Milan, 1st July 2004 – The Sergio Tacchini Group, producer and distributor of clothing and footwear for sport and leisure time, manufactures its products in many countries all over the world with the aim of constantly improving quality/price ratio.

Present in the Far East since 1981, the company has always dealt with and supervised all the stages throughout the production chain to guarantee product quality and to safeguard workers’ rights. To be more precise, production is controlled both directly by the Sergio Tacchini branches in the various countries and by major international bodies with the role of carrying out periodic sample checks to guarantee quality of work and respect for the relative regulations in force in the individual countries.

Recent analysis by the Sergio Tacchini Group in this very context has focused special attention on the multiple problems and serious local situations of a number of eastern markets and it is precisely due to the difficult situation in Burma that the decision was made a while ago to suspend production in this country as from 31 July 2004.

For further information:
Sergio Tacchini S.p.A. – Press and External Relations Office
Roberta Cardinali: Tel: +39 02 4982831 – Fax: +39 02 48012370 – Email:  rcardinali@sergiotacchini.com