Code of Conduct
Nordic KidsWear Code of Conduct, v.1
Principles
Nordic KidsWear’s suppliers are to supply goods and services that are produced in compliance with the Code of Conduct. Moreover, the suppliers are to communicate the Code of Conduct to their sub-suppliers and monitor the implementaion.
A supplier must be able to document compliance with the Code of Conduct at Nordic KidsWear’s request. Such documentation may take the form of self-declaration, follow-up meetings, and/or inspections of the working conditions at production sites. The supplier will be obliged to name and provide contact information for any sub-supplier that Nordic KidsWear wishes to inspect.
Nordic KidsWear believes in co-operation and in case of non-compliance with the requirements, we are willing to work with our suppliers, other clients to the supplier and/or other competent parties to prepare a plan for reaching the standards of the Code of Conduct. Remediation must take place within a reasonable period of time. The contract will only be terminated if the supplier remains unwilling to remedy the breach following repeated enquiries and if corrective action is not taken within the agreed limit.
Requirements relating to own practise
Favouring of producers and producing countries
Nordic KidsWear will, when choosing suppliers, in addition to other competitive aspects, consider the supplier’s corporate social policy. Fulfilment of social criteria is considered a competitive advantage, and will be taken into consideration when choosing suppliers and vendors.
Boycott of individual countries
Nordic KidsWear will avoid buying from partners that operate in countries subject to international boycott by the United Nations and/or Swedish Authorities.
Corruption and bribery
Neither Nordic KidsWear, nor any of its employees, shall ever accept the offer, gift or acceptance of a bribe in any form including kickbacks, on any portion of a contract payment, or the use of other routes or channels to secure business-related or private benefit, or benefit for customers, agents or suppliers.
Requirements to supply chain conditions
Nordic KidsWear Ethical Trade principles are founded on key UN and international Labour Organization conventions and documents. National laws shall be respected, and where the provisions of law and IEH’s ethical trade principles addres the same subject, the most stringent shall apply.
1. Forced and compulsory labour
(ILO Conventions Nos. 29 and 105)
1.1 There shall be no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
1.2 Workers shall not be required to lodge deposits or identity papers with their employer
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and shall be free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.
2. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collectibe Bargaining
(ILO Conventions Nos. 87,98,135 and 154)
2.1 Workers, without distinction, shall have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively. The employer shall not interfere with, or obstruct, the formation of unions or collective bargaining.
2.2 Workers representatives shall not be discriminated and shall have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.
2.3 Where the right to freedom of association and/or collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer shall facilitate, and not hinder, the development of alternative forms of independent and free workers representation and negotiations.
3. Child Labour ( UN Convention on the Rights of the child )
(ILO Conventions Nos. 138, 182 and 79, and ILO Recommendation No. 146)
3.1 The minimum age for workers shall not be less than 15 and comply with
I) The national minimum age for employment or;
II) The age of completion of compulsory education,
Whichever of these is higher. If local minimum is set at 14 years in accordance with developing county exceptions under ILO Conventions 138, this lower age may apply.
3.2 There shall be no recruitment of child labour defined as any work performed by a child younget than the age(s) specified above
3.3 No person under the age of 18 shall be engaged in labour that is hazardous to their health, safety or morals, including night work.
3.4 Policies and procedures for remediation of child labour prohibited by ILO conventions no. 138 and 182, shall be established, documented, and communicated to personnel and other interested parties. Adequate support shall be provided to enable such children to attend and complete compulsory education.
4. Discrimination
(ILO Conventions Nos. 100 and 111 and the UN convention on Discrimination against women)
4.1 There shall be no discrimination at the workplace in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on ethic background, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
4.2 Measures shall be established to protect workers from sexually intrusive, threatening, insulting or exploitative behaviour, and from discrimination or termination of employment on unjustifiable grounds, e.g marriage, pregnancy, parenthood or HIV status.
5. Harsh or Inhumane Treatment
5.1 Workers shall be treated with respect and dignity. Physical abuse or punishment, or threats of physical abuse, sexual harassment and verbal abuse, as well as other forms of intimidation, is prohibited.
6. Health and Safety
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(ILO Convention No. 155 and ILO Recommendation No. 164)
6.1 The working enviroment shall be safe and hygienic, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the idustry and of any specific hazards. Hazardous chemicals and other substances shall be carefully managed. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in, the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practiable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working inviroment.
6.2 Workers shall receive regular and documented health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
6.3 Access to clean toilet facilities, to potable water and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided
6.4 Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe and adequately ventilated, and shall have access to clean toilet facilities and potable water.
6.5 Access to clean eating areas shall be provided. If the factory provides food for its workers, the canteen, in which the food is stored and prepared, must be located separately from the production area and also be clean and in a good condition.
7. Wages
(ILO Convention No. 131)
7.1 Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week shall as minimum meet national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. Wages should always be enough to meet basic needs, including some discretionary income.
7.2 All workers shall be provided with a written and comprehensible contract outlining their wage and conditions and method of payments before entering employment.
7.3 Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted.
8. Working Hours
(ILO Convention No. 1 and 14)
8.1 Working hours shall comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, and not more than prevailing international standards. Weekly working hours should not on a regular basis be more than 48 hours.
8.2 Workers shall be provided with at least one day off for every 7 day period.
8.3 Overtime shall be limited and voluntary. Recommended maximum overtime is 12 hours per week, i.e. that the total working week including overtime shall not exceed 60 hours. Exceptions to this are accepted when regulated by a collective bargaining agreement.
8.4 Workers shall always receive overtime pay for all hours worked over and above the normal working hours (see 8.1 above), minimum in accordance with relevant legislation.
9. Regular Employment
9.1 Obligations to employees under international conventions, national law and regulations concering regular employment shall not be avoided through the use of short term contracting (such as contract labour, casual labour or day labour), sub-contractors or other labour relathionships.
9.2 All workers are entitled to a contract of employment in a language they understand.
9.3 The duration and content of apprenticeship programmes shall be be clearly defined.
10. Marginalized Population
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10.1 Production and the use of natural resources shall not contribute to the destruction and/or degradation of the resources and income base for marginalized populations, such as claming large land areas, use of water or other natural resources on which these populations are dependant.
11. Enviroment
11.1 Measures to minimize adverse impacts on human health and the enviroment shall be taken throughout the value chain. This includes minimizing pollution, promoting an efficient and sustainable use of resources, including energy and water, and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions in production and transport. The local environment at the production site shall not be exploited ir degraded.
11.2 National and international environmental legislation and regulations shall be respected and relevant discharge permits obtained.
12. Corruption
12.1 Corruption in any form is not accepted, including bribery, extortion, kickbacks and improper private or professional benefits to customers, agents, contractors, suppliers or employees of any such party or government officials.
13. Animal Welfare
13.1 Nordic KidsWear is strongly against mistreatment of any animals. Ethical aspects such as traceability, sustainability, safety, animal welfare, and labour and farm conditions shall be taken into account when choosing suppliers of animal fibres
13.2 Leather products shall be manufactured using only the skins of utility animals such as pigs, sheep, goats and cows, where the animals have been originally slaughtered for the meat market.
13.3 Down shall be picked from dead birds only which are by-products from the food industry.
13.4 Only fur from animals being hunted in a humane mannar shall be used, and never from animals raised in cages in the fur farming industry.
13.5 The use of unethical and inhumane production processes as mulesing is prohibited
13.6 Nordic KidsWear is against animal testing and encourages all business partners to follow our policy on this matter.
14. Management systems of suppliers
The management system is the key to the implementation of the Code of Conduct. Nordic KidsWear emphasises the importance of suppliers having systems that support such implementaion. Nordic KidsWear’s expectations in this regard are summed up in the following measures:
• The supplier should make a centrally placed employee responsible for the implentation of the Code of Conduct in the supplier’s business.
• The supplier must make the Code of Conduct known in all relevant parts of its organisation.
• The supplier must obtain Nordic KidsWear consent prior to outsourcing production or parts of production to a sub-supplier/contractor, if this has not been agreed in advance
• The supplier must be able to give an account of where goods ordered by Nordic KidsWear are produced.
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15. Monitoring, auditing and external verification
Nordic KidsWear reserve the right that we, or representatives appointed by Nordic KidsWear will have free access to the production plant, with or without prior notification. Such representatives must document a signed approval from Nordic KidsWear.
Nordic KidsWear will establish systems for reporting and independent verification. Audit standards and methods will be carried out in accordance with Nordic KidsWear Code of Conduct, SA8000 or other applicable standards.