When customers buy our products, we want them to be confident that they have been produced lawfully, through fair and honest dealing, without damaging the environment or exploiting the people who made them.

This Code of Conduct aims to strengthen our supplier relationships and commitment to transparency of Human Rights and environmental due diligence.

 

1. NO CHILD LABOUR

The supplier shall not employ a worker under the age stipulated by the local/regional legal limit.

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2. NO FORCED LABOUR

The supplier shall not allow any form of forced, involuntary or prison labour or bonded labour. Overtime must be voluntary. Suppliers must ensure their employees are free to enter their employment through their own choice and leave work or terminate their employment with reasonable notice, without penalty.

 

3. NO DISCRIMINATION OR HARASSMENT

No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed. Physical, verbal and sexual abuse or discipline or the threat of abuse, harassment or other forms of intimidation are prohibited. Suppliers must have a formal grievance disciplinary procedure with documented records of individual disciplinary hearings.

There shall be no discrimination in the hiring of workers; employees with protected characteristics will be treated with fairness and equality. No employee will be treated less favourably than another on grounds of; age, sex, disability, gender identity, race, religion/belief, or sexual orientation.

Women and men must be paid equal wages for equal work.

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4. RESPECT FOR FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

The supplier must allow all employees to form a trade union or other independent workers organisations of their own choosing. All employees shall have the right of association and collective bargaining as well as workers representation. Worker representatives must not be discriminated against. Where the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted by local law, the supplier should facilitate and not hinder the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

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5. WORKING CONDITIONS ARE SAFE AND HYGIENIC

Suppliers shall provide a safe and healthy workplace environment as per minimum requirements of the local and regional laws. All facilities must be structurally sound and hold a building safety certificate. Suppliers shall appoint a senior manager who is responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of employees, and must do all they reasonably can to prevent accidents and injury. The supplier must prepare health and safety procedures, regularly train workers in these procedures, and regularly test these procedures.

Workers should receive regular and recorded health and safety training and such training shall be repeated for new or re-assigned workers. Access to clean toilet facilities and drinking water and appropriate facilities for food storage should be provided.

 

6. MINIMUM WAGES PAID

All suppliers shall ensure that wages paid for a working week must be at least the minimum national industry benchmark standards. Wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and provide discretionary income.

The supplier must provide clear, understandable written information regarding their employment conditions, staff benefits, working hours, rights and wages before commencing employment. Bonus schemes must be clearly explained and be accessible to all employees.

Staff must be informed in writing of the pay period – how and when they will be paid and any deductions that may be taken. All contract, payslips and policies must be supplied in native or local language.

Deductions from wages for disciplinary means is not permitted, nor any deductions (except those required by national law) should be taken without written permission of the employee. Any disciplinary measures should be recorded.

 

7. FAIR WORKING HOURS

Working hours for all workers shall comply with national/local laws and industry benchmark standards. Working hours, excluding overtime, shall be defined by contract, and shall not exceed 48 hours per week. All overtime shall be voluntary and agreed to in advance where possible. Overtime must not exceed 60 hours and must be in line with local labour law.

 

8. REGULAR EMPLOYMENT IS PROVIDED

Regular employment and obligations to employees must not be avoided through the use of excessive fixed–term contracts, labour only contracting, sub-contracting, home working arrangements or through training and apprenticeship schemes where there is no intent to impart skills or provide regular employment.​

 

9. RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Suppliers shall be committed at all times to respect the environment and shall comply, at least, with the standards and requirements of the applicable local and international laws and regulations. Suppliers must dispose of all the waste that is created in their factory in line with local laws, or in a way that will not harm the environment or the local population.

Suppliers must actively monitor and minimise the impact of the production process on the environment and on the natural resources in the local area.​

 

10. NO BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

Under no circumstances do we tolerate the practice of bribery and corruption in any shape or form in dealings with a supplier or any of their employees, or associated parties.

 

11. TRANSPARENCY IN AND FROM, ALL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

Suppliers must disclose all subcontractors used for production, and both suppliers and subcontractors must not refuse inspection from us or any third-party auditor.

 

12. A VALID BUSINESS LICENCE AND AUDITS MUST BE HELD

A permit to manufacture must be held by any producing factory. The supplier must conduct full ethical audits which reflect the ‘Ethical Trade Initiative Base Code’ as a minimum, (ICTI, SMETA, BSCI), with no open critical issues and have a corrective action plan in place.