Good working conditions

Labour standards

We expect our Suppliers to have a management system that support internationally accepted social and labour policies.

It means to integrate ethics into core business practices and to have a policy to follow internationally agreed principles concerning labour standards, such as written employment contracts, specified terms concerning working hours, compensation, vacation, working hours, insurances and respecting employees' rights.
Suppliers must be able to show evidence that acceptable human resources practices exist and that records are kept in order.

Questions to ask yourself:

Do we have a system to control that legislation is followed concerning minimum wages, working hours, overtime, health and safety?
Do we have a policy to follow internationally agreed labour standards, even in cases when legislation does not demand so?
Do we have a system for managing Human Resources concerning written employment contracts, non-discrimination, specified employment terms, insurances and specified salary slips?
Do we have employment procedures to ensure that no children are hired?

UN Global Compact about Labour

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All work must be voluntary

All work must be voluntary. It is strictly prohibited to traffic persons or use any form of slave, forced, bonded, indentured, or prison labour. We expect our Suppliers to:

Not use, be complicit in, or benefit from forced labour.
Assure that salary, personal property or documents will not be withheld in order to forcing workers to continue any working condition.
Not withhold workers’ original government-issued identification and travel documents.
Ensure that workers’ contracts clearly convey the conditions of employment in a language understood by the workers.
Give the workers the right to leave the employment after reasonable notice.
Ensure that the third-party recruitment agencies it uses are compliant with the law and the principles stated above.

UN Global Compact, principle 4

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Uphold the freedom of association

As legally permitted, all workers shall be free to join (or refrain from joining) organizations of their choice, and bargain collectively without interference. We shall ensure that workers have a mechanism to report grievances and promote open communication between management and workers.

We expect our Suppliers to:

Enable workers to form and join a trade union of their choice without fear of intimidation or reprisal, in accordance with national law.

Adopt an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organizational activities.
Ensure that workers representatives are not discriminated and have the opportunity to carry out their representative functions.
Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer does not hinder the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

UN Global Compact, principle 3

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Work against harmful child labour

We shall actively work against harmful child labour and employ only workers who are at least 15 years of age or the applicable minimum legal age, whichever is higher. We may provide legitimate workplace apprenticeship programs for educational benefit that are consistent with Article 6 of ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138 or light work consistent with Article 7 of ILO Minimum Age Convention No.138.

We expect our Suppliers to:

Assure that there is no recruitment of under age children.
Not require juvenile workers to work overtime or perform night work.
Assure that children under no circumstances shall be held in situations, within or outside a working area, which are dangerous or unsafe for their physical or mental health and development.
Participate in and contribute to policies and programs which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing harmful child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child.
Ensure proper management of student workers through proper maintenance of student records, rigorous due diligence of educational partners, and protection of students’ rights in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

UN Global Compact, principle 5

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Practice living wages and fair working hours

We shall follow all applicable laws and regulations with respect to working hours and days of rest, and all overtime must be voluntary.

We expect our Suppliers to:

Ensure that all workers receive at least the legally mandated minimum wages and benefits.
Offer vacation time, leave periods, and time off for legally recognized holidays and fulfil approved laws or rules for working hours in the nation where the supplier operates.
If national law is not applicable, workweek shall be restricted according to international agreements.
Compensate workers for overtime hours at the legal premium rate.
Offer recognized employment relationship established through national law and practice.
Communicate pay structure and pay periods to all workers and pay accurate wages in a timely manner.
Not use wage deductions as a disciplinary measure.

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Do not tolerate any discrimination of workers

We shall not discriminate against any worker based on age, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status, or union membership, in hiring and other employment practices.

We also expect our Business Partners to:

Ensure that no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement, based on the factors mentioned above, exists.
Not require pregnancy or medical tests, except where required by applicable laws or regulations or prudent for workplace safety, and shall not improperly discriminate based on test results.

Supplier is encouraged to initiate and support worker health and safety committees to enhance ongoing health and safety education and to encourage worker input and participation in health and safety issues in the workplace.

UN Global Compact, Principle 6

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Health and Safety

Suppliers must have a systematic health and safety work, where hazardous conditions have been identified and minimized.

A management system typically includes these parts: Policy, relevant procedures, monitoring and KPIs.
The following requirements are mandatory:
- Compliance with international labour standards
- Compliance with national employment legislation
- Effective human resource management
- Continuous improvement in working conditions

We expect our Suppliers to:

Have a systematic health and safety work, where hazardous conditions have been identified and minimized.
Have a system for workers to report health and safety incidents and near-misses, as well as a system to investigate, track, and manage such reports.
Implement corrective action plans to mitigate risks, provide necessary medical treatment, and facilitate workers’ return to work.
Freely provide workers with appropriate workplace health and safety training in their primary language and personal safety equipment. Health and safety related information shall be clearly posted in the facility.
Identify and assess potential emergency situations and implement emergency plans and response procedures that minimize harm to life, environment, and property.
Identify, evaluate, and control worker exposure to tasks that pose ergonomic risk such as excessive force, improper lifting positions, or repetitiveness. Supplier shall integrate this process into the qualification of all new or modified production lines, equipment, tools, and workstations.
Provide a safe and hygienic working environment with access to clean toilet facilities and access to drinking water.
Where applicable, provide accommodation that is clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.

ETI Base Code

Sedex Supplier Workbook