H&M sticks with human rights stance in face of Chinese pressure

H&M has closed 20 of the 500 stores it operates in China after the retailer was targeted by the Chinese government for no longer sourcing material from Xinjiang, a major cotton-producing region in the Asian nation, due to allegations of forced labor. The retailer would not disclose if the store closures were by choice or if it was forced to take the actions. CEO Helena Helmersson said that H&M did not plan to change its position. “We want to be a responsible buyer, in China and elsewhere, and are now building forward-looking strategies and actively working on next steps with regards to material sourcing,” she said.