Profile of CONTIGO´s partner Umed Singh

Supply chain

Trading partner: Umed Singh, microenterprise
Function: Producer
Structure: Own Production
Tradeway: Import CONTIGO via Service Provider Amit Batra / Indien

Products

Silver jewellery

Location

Jaipur, India – distance to Europe: 6,100km

Founded in 2000

History

• 1971: Umed Singh starts a technical schooling and light engineering training in Jaipur
• 1980-1985: Employment in the silver manufacturing company of his uncle
• 1985: Umed Singh starts working as contractor for Poppy Dandiya (famous goldsmith and designer in Jaipur) with 20 indoor and 80 outdoor crafters
• 2000: Umed Singh establishes his own workshop in his private house
• 2016: Downsizing of the workshop to 8 crafters
• 2020: Staff is reduced to 6 crafters due to difficult economic situation in Jaipur silver industry

Cooperation with CONTIGO since 2003

Structure of the business

Number of employees:

6 employees (men)

• 3 silver smiths
• 1 polishing person
• 1 stone setting person
• 1 person in quality control
• All silver crafters are migrants from the area of Kolkata, Westbengal

Work organisation

The workshop is located in the upper floor of Mr. Umed Singh’s private house. One work room with roof terrace, enough daylight and ventilation. Smithing table for three crafters, one table for stone setting, two polishing machines. All tables with spots. The crafters work while sitting on the floor.

Most production steps in the handcrafted jewellery are done manually: flattening the silver, cutting the sheet silver, shaping the jewellery, soldering and ornamenting, stone setting. All steps are done in house with traditional tools.

Sales

• Supply to domestic wholesellers (70%)
• Export (30%) to CONTIGO

Goals

• To provide employees with health insurance and life insurance in short terms
• To modernise workshop production
• To provide his workers full employment throughout the year

Special features

Why does CONTIGO work with Umed Singh: Mr Umed Singh is a dedicated craftsman with profound technical knowledge and a good sense of quality. Very committed towards customers and staff.

 

Fairtrade classification

FTP = Fairtrade in Progress, due to the informal structure

 

Fairtrade aspects

Umed Singh complies with the following Fairtrade Principles:

No child labour

No discrimination

No discrimination due to gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political orientation, or infection with HIV

Fair wages

• Average wage at Umed Singh: US $ 250/month
  • Fixed salary for quality control and packaging
  • Piece rate for production
  • for periods with less work, employees receive basic payment which is cleared against production later
• Weekly or monthly payment of workers in cash
• Bonus for Diwali and Holi
  • Salaried staff: token bonus for Holi, one month salary on Diwali
  • Piece rate staff: small cash presents and clothes for the family

Humane working conditions

Working hours:

• 8 hours/day
• Breaks for tea and lunch
• 6 days/week

Social benefits:

• Salaried staff: continued payment of wage in case of sickness, holiday leave
• The small workshop is working in the traditional, informal way. The proprietor is responsible for the wellbeing of the workers. Aid is given whenever a person or his family is in need. Due to the size of the company the contribution to ESI / PPF (health and pension scheme) is not compulsory
• 2 silver crafters (Santos Dash, Neelkash) work with Umed Singh for 20 years. They settled with their families in Jaipur. The master and sample maker Santos Dash recently brought in his son as trainee
• Piece rate workers from Westbengal stay for a period of 3-5 years. They move back to their native place for marriage, taking care for the parents, house construction. Good crafters are always welcome to return to Umed Singh, if they wish to continue work
• Daily meetings and discussions on production related topics

Educational opportunities:

• Initial training for all new employees

Transparency

• Informal records are kept on payments
• SAR (Self Assessment Report) was duly submitted to CONTIGO

 

Monitoring

• Personal visits in Jaipur (2008, 2020)

 

Country information

See Encyclopaedia Britannica: India

 

Photos