Where are the bathrobes and towels coming from?

In September 2017, Sales and Marketing Director of Comforta Martti Louhento and Product Manager Tuula Kokkonen travelled to the town of Guimarães, in Northern Portugal, to audit the production of bathrobe and towel maker Domingos de Sousa. They were greeted by Fatima Sousa, Commercial Director of the company. 

“This was the first time we visited that vendor. We went through the production facilities in minute detail and every department presented us with their working methods and documents. The documentation was comprehensive, and, for example, the testing laboratory had archived samples of different production lots,” recalls Kokkonen. 

An important part of the audit is also the observation of the working conditions and safety of the personnel. The production facilities were clean, and there were many different signs and warnings on the walls and floors. The workers knew where to move safely. 

“It was great to note that employees are clearly valued. The manager of the factory was genuinely interested in the employees’ perceptions and this could be seen in Sousa and the production workers’ encounters. The visit to Domingos de Sousa was a very interesting and educational one – the audits deepen our common understanding of responsible practices,” Kokkonen summarises.