Having the right standards in our supply chains
We will know where all our products are made and have a picture of the underlying supply chain for all key raw materials. We will make it clear to our suppliers that we expect working conditions and environmental protection to reflect the standards outlined in our own Code of Conduct. This requirement will be outlined in our supplier visits. The factories of new direct suppliers have been visited and audited by Gardman since 2010. We will continue to visit and audit all new suppliers prior to the award of business. All existing suppliers will be re-audited once every three years.
We will build and maintain a database of suppliers and their performance against this code of conduct.
As an absolute minimum our suppliers must:
- NOT employ children below the age of 16 or the minimum legal age (if greater than 16) in the countries where the factories are located
- NOT use forced, bonded or involuntary labour
- NOT force workers to lodge ‘unreasonable’ deposits, or their identity papers with their employers, so that they are not free to leave after reasonable notice
- NOT subject workers to physical abuse, the threat of physical abuse or intimidating verbal abuse
- Have accommodation, if provided, which is clearly segregated from the factory/ production area
- Have an adequate number of safe, unblocked fire escape routes accessible to workers from each floor or area of the factory (or area of the accommodation, if provided)
- Be a reasonably safe place to work
Actions and targets
- By 2012 we will develop a database for tracking supplier performance.
- By 2012 we will develop a process for ensuring that suppliers meet our requirements.