University of Stirling film event highlights issues in perfume industry

University of Stirling academics teamed up with the BBC this week for an exclusive event lifting the lid on child labour linked to the perfume industry.

The free screening of the BBC documentary Perfume’s Dark Secret at Macrobert Arts Centre was followed by a panel discussion and question and answer session.

Documentary director Natasha Cox and producer Ahmed ElShamy shared details of their undercover investigation into jasmine picking in Egypt, where they found children as young as five working at night to pick an ingredient that is supplied to leading perfume brands. 

The documentary makers shared the challenges they faced persuading perfume industry sources to go on the record for the film. They also discussed how the film has helped effect changes in working conditions for the families they met in Egypt.

Perfume’s Dark Secret was this week shortlisted for a 2024 British Journalism Award.

The panel discussion and question and answer session sparked discussion about the modern slavery, ethics and transparency issues highlighted in the film.

Dr Umair Choksy, Senior Lecturer in Management, Dr Vassilis Galanos, Lecturer in Digital Work, and Dr Ashley Rogers, Lecturer in Criminology, offered their insights into the ethics, transparency and modern slavery issues highlighted in the film. They discussed who bears the responsibility of tackling modern slavery in global supply chains, what can be done, and the role of legislation, multinational enterprises and consumers. 

The event was a collaboration between the BBC and the University of Stirling Management School’s Interdisciplinary Research in Supply Chain and Logistics (IRiSCaL) group.

Dr Choksy said: “This event came about after Ahmed and I connected following the release of the documentary earlier this year. The issues uncovered in Perfume’s Dark Secret are the stuff of our research here at Stirling, from supply chains to human rights, so it was an ideal collaboration. 

“Our hope is that it leads to similar events which will bring together University of Stirling academics with other experts and filmmakers, so that we can share our research and expertise in a creative way, with the public, students and colleagues.”

The panel members, left to right: Dr Vassilis Galanos, Dr Ashley Rogers, Ahmed ElShamy, Dr Umair Choksy, Natasha Cox.