Ethical sourcing
Sustainability
We are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and believe, the best method of meeting this commitment is to build a strong relationship with like minded suppliers who share our ethical principles. Relationships with our suppliers are based on trust and honesty, principles that we insist are extended to everyone along the supply chain, including employees and sub-contractors.
We recognise that within some countries there are legal and cultural differences from our own but all factories must meet the following International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations’ (UN) standards:
- The use of child labour is not acceptable. Employees, within the factories, must meet the minimum legal working age and must not be less than 15 years of age, whichever is the greater.
- Discrimination against an individual or a group as a result of colour, race, religion, gender, nationality, age, maternity or marital status is not acceptable.
- The exploitation of an individual or group is not acceptable.
The use of any form of physical abuse to intimidate or discipline workers is not acceptable. Additionally, the use of non-physical abuse, for example, threat of violence, sexual harassment or verbal abuse is also not acceptable.
- The use of forced labour or involuntary labour of any kind is not acceptable.
- Workers must be allowed to lawfully join or organise associations (providing organisations are legal in their own country) and employers must not penalise or interfere with the workers lawful efforts to do so.
- Working hours / days, wages, over-time pay and holiday pay must be in compliance with all local laws and must meet the legal minimum wage or a wage that meets local industry standards, whichever is greater.
- Suppliers must ensure that all working premises comply with all applicable laws regarding working conditions, worker health and safety, fire safety, sanitation, risk protection, electrical and structural safety.
- Suppliers disciplinary procedures must be fair towards the employee and documented for the future reference.
- Suppliers are encouraged to promote employee training and education to ensure and promote a greater understanding of their jobs and safety within their working environment.
Monitoring
As a condition of business with SmartSource, the supplier must comply with all the above statements – a contractual requirement for all supply partners. SmartSource will continue to develop the supplier assessment procedures and site visits to monitor supplier compliance.
If SmartSource establishes that any supplier has violated the policy, SmartSource may require the supplier to implement corrective action or may terminate the business relationship. If the supplier does not conform to the suggested corrective action SmartSource will suspend current business or terminate the relationship and will delist the supplier from the SmartSource approved supplier list.