Burma is a country ruled by one of the longest running and most brutal military dictatorships in the world; a dictatorship charged by the United Nations with a “crime against humanity” for its systematic abuses of human rights, and condemned internationally for refusing to transfer power to the legally elected Government of the country – the party led by Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

In response to calls from Burma’s democracy movement, the Burma Campaign UK and other campaign groups around the world have been pressuring companies to sever business ties with Burma.

Adidas
“Adidas-Salomon is very concerned about the human rights record of the military regime in Burma/Myanmar. Consequently we stopped sourcing products from there in 1999…none of our products have been made there since”.

Anheuser-Busch International Inc, Budweiser

Ann Summers
“We do not currently buy direct from Burma, …., it would not be our intention to go down this route….”

Apple Computer

Arcadia Group plc
“…We do support a stand against Burma, as you know, through our action to cease sourcing from there”.

Bank of Nova Scotia

BHS (British Home Stores)
“Having reviewed the BHS supply chain, I can confirm that there were historical ties with a supplier in Burma. This link is now terminated and there will be no further business conducted within Burma.”

BP
"We have no business activity in Burma nor do we have plans to invest in that country."

Bugbog.com

Burton (UK)
The Burton Group announced on 3 July that it would end its partnership with a military-controlled clothing factory in Burma by the end of 1997, saying "This decision has been taken following a review of customer opinion towards merchandise sourced from Burma.”

Carlsberg
Danish beer maker Carlsberg responded to threats of a boycott or industrial action and dropped its plans to invest in a new brewery in Burma. It said public opinion and media attention on human rights abuses in Burma prompted their decision.

Clarks
“We do not knowingly purchase products produced in Burma and until the current situation is satisfactorily resolved we do no intend to purchase items produced there.”

Ernst & Young
“I would also add that I share your disgust with the regime in Burma and applaud your efforts and those of other organisations in helping stimulate international pressure for change.” Nick Land, Chairman.

Explore Worldwide, Ltd

Explorers Tours

Federated Stores
Leading U.S. retailer Federated Stores, owner of Bloomingdale's and Macy's joined the Burma boycott and agreed to quit selling apparel made in Burma, stating that "what is going on there is a violation of the philosophy and spirit of our vendor supplier code of conduct."

Fenwick

Fila

Foster's

Gecko Travel
We are at present refraining from conducting tours in burma, considering her political Regime to be unsuitable for organised tourism. We do not wish to be seen to legitimise or contribute financially towards the regime.
(Not to be confused with Gecko’s Adventures, who features on the ‘Dirty List’ for organising tours to Burma.)

Grattan plc
“…We have an unequivocal position in respect of goods manufactured in Burma, in that we do not stock them.”

H&M
“H&M have a policy which started over 5 years ago not to buy anything from Burma.”

Heineken
World's second largest brewer, Heineken announced the withdrawal of its $ 30 million investment in Burma. It said opinion and recent media attention on human rights abuses in Burma prompted their decision.

Hewlett-Packard

Himalayan Kingdoms Ltd
“We will not start running treks or tours to Burma until we have a clear statement from Aung San Suu Kyi, or some dramatic improvement occurs to the political situation.”

IBM

IKEA
The IKEA group decided in May 1999 not to conduct business in Burma, stating that it is IKEA’s “…position to destroy any products from Burma at our warehouse locations.”

Interbrew (Labatt's)

Jaegar
“We have never sourced any product from Burma and we have no plans to in the future”.

Jansport
“In conjunction with the manufacturing of our products, it has been and will continue to be JanSport policy to honour the issue of human rights here and abroad ….We are specifically concerned about factories in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Let me assure you, JanSport unequivocally forbids the production of any of its merchandise or the conduct of business on its behalf in Myanmar”.

John Lewis

J Sainsbury plc
‘Sainsbury’s do not currently source any products from Burma”.

Kookai
"It is not ethical for us to produce our goods from Burma, We took the issue up with our 'mother' company in Paris. They in turn have considered the situation and have terminated the production from Burma." Jan 2003

La Redoute
" We share your concern and dismay about the situation in Burma, particularly in the light of recent events including the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. I’m pleased to inform you that this concern led us to decide officially in 2002 to cease all sourcing in Burma."

Levi Strauss Inc
"It is not possible to do business in [Burma] without directly supporting the military government and its pervasive violations of human rights." --Levi-Strauss & Co. upon withdrawing from Burma.

Littlewoods
"Littlewoods Home Shopping can confirm that its ethical stance is not to source any product from Burma. All of Littlewoods Home Shopping product teams, sourcing department and country offices are aware of this and strictly adhere to this policy."

Liz Claiborne

London Fog

Marks and Spencer
" We have an internal policy of not buying from this region and that policy is clearly communicated to all our direct suppliers and our buying teams."

Monsoon
“Monsoon Accessorize Ltd does not source any products from Burma”

Moon Handbooks/Avalon Travel Publishing
"..any future editions of Moon Handbooks: Southeast Asia will not include any coverage of Burma, unless and until there is significant regime change that warrants a return to responsible tourism."

Motorola

New Look
“We at New Look take ethical issues seriously and have a policy not to knowingly source any of our products from Burma”.

Nomadic Thoughts
"This is to confirm that Nomadic Thoughts is regrettably not sending clients
to Burma. Although Nomadic Thoughts regards Burma as one of Asia's most exciting and
spectacular tourist destinations the company has decided not to send clients
in direct response to The National League of Democracy's request (led by Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi) that international tourists do not visit Burma."

Northwest Airline

Oracle Corp.

Oshkosh B' Gosh Inc

Pepsi-Cola
"Based on our assessment of the spirit of current U.S. government foreign policy, we are completing our total disengagement from the Burmese market. Accordingly, we have severed all relationships with our former franchise bottler, effective January 15, 1997.”

Polo Ralph Lauren Company

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Reebok
"We do not feel that we can adequately apply our human rights standards and do business in Burma."

River Islands
“We continue not to source from Burma.”

Rough Guides
“Rough Guides is a publisher committed to the freedom of individuals to travel and live in liberty: our guidebooks are written with the aim of empowering readers as they travel by providing practical information and carefully researched background on every aspect of the destination. There are many parts of the world where human rights are suppressed but where Rough Guides feel justified in guiding and informing travellers to the best of our ability, in the belief that well-informed travellers can bring positive economic benefits and assist in the spread of ideas in both directions.

There are, however, occasional instances where any benefits are overshadowed by the nature of the social and political climate. Apartheid South Africa was an example. Burma, with its brutal dictatorship, state control of the economy and forced labour used to build its tourist infrastructure, is another. As long as the military regime remains in power and Aung San Suu Kyi – leader of the democratically elected National League for Democracy - requests that tourists do not visit, Rough Guides will not publish a guide to the country.”

Royal Brunei Airlines

Sarah Lee

Seagram Company Limited

Somak Holidays

Triumph International

Walt Disney

Woolworths
"It has been our policy for a number of years not to source from Burma due to the serious human rights issues reported in that country. All our buyers and sourcing team are fully aware of this."

World Spirit Travel
"Democratically elected leader and Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has made it clear that tourism only further prolongs Burma's military dictatorship. World Spirit supports her invocation: 'not to travel to Burma...yet...'.

WPP