New report: The Dark Sites of Granite: Modern slavery, child labour and unsafe work in Indian Granite Quarries - What should companies do? (PRESS RELEASE ICN/Stop Child Labour):
New research, commissioned by the India Committee of the Netherlands and Stop Child Labour, reveals that modern slavery, low wages, unsafe and unhealthy working conditions are rampant in granite quarries in South India. In some quarries, especially in waste stone processing, child labour is found.
There is an enormous gap in working conditions between permanent workers (mainly supervisors) and casual workers (70% of the workforce). The first group receives safety equipment, insurance and an employment contract, while the casual labourers doing the dangerous manual work, lack those fundamental labour rights.

Modern slavery and child labour in Indian quarries: Stop Child Labour urges companies and government to take action (PRESS RELEASE ICN/Stop Child Labour):
Modern slavery is widespread in Indian quarries. Child labour also occurs frequently. Most Dutch importers of Indian granite give no information from which quarries they are sourcing their granite or say they do not know from which quarries the stone comes from.
This is the main outcome of the report Rock Bottom - Modern Slavery and Child Labour in South Indian Granite Quarries on working conditions in South Indian granite quarries which is published by the India Committee of the Netherlands in collaboration with the coalition Stop Child Labour.

Need for more sustainable Chinese granite: European natural stone importers acknowledge need for improvement of labour conditions (PRESS RELEASE SOMO/ICN) :
The import of granite and other natural stone products into the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and other European countries is increasing. Granite is much used for public infrastructural projects, like pavement. The production of granite and other types of natural stone is still far from sustainable, concludes the report Improving working conditions at Chinese Natural Stone Companies that was just now published by SwedWatch and SOMO. Safety is a major issue in Chinese tile cutting facilities and quarries. Working weeks of seven days are no exception. Payment is poor. European importing companies acknowledge the problems described in the report and are willing to contribute to improving the working conditions.

New report From Quarry to Graveyard: The Dutch natural stone market and responsible business behaviour - 'Dutch natural stone companies are beginning to take an interest in responsible business behaviour' (PRESS RELEASE ICN):
Inhuman labour conditions and wide scale environmental damage are part and parcel of natural stone production in India. This is the message of the report From Quarry to Graveyard - Corporate social responsibility in the natural stone sector published today by the India Committee of the Netherlands. The report describes the Dutch natural stone trade and details how Dutch companies and trade organisations are starting to take an interest in corporate social responsibility.

"World Day Against Child Labour 2005" to focus on child labour in mines and quarries (PRESS RELEASE ILO):
The plight of children who work in mines and quarries that are often dangerous, dirty and can post a grave risk to their health and safety will be the focus of the fourth World Day Against Child Labour, scheduled for 12 June 2005, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said today.
The ILO estimates that some one million children work in small scale mining and quarrying around the world. What’s more, ILO studies show that these children work in some of the worst conditions imaginable, where they face serious risk of dying on the job or sustaining injuries and health problems that will affect them throughout their lives.