Code of conduct
Hemtex does not own any manufacturing plants. Instead, it purchases all textiles and other products from suppliers worldwide. Purchases are made from 120 suppliers in some 15 countries.
In recent years, Hemtex has consciously elected to increase the degree of direct purchases from producers in an effort to offer competitive prices to consumers. Closer cooperation with manufacturers also offers Hemtex greater potential to influence manufacturing plants than when purchases proceed via an intermediary.
Since Hemtex does not have direct control of production, it has drawn up guidelines for suppliers in its Code of Conduct. Among other considerations, Hemtex’s Code of Conduct is based on the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child and the conventions issued by the UN’s organization for labor market issues – ILO – on working conditions and working rights.
The Hemtex Code of Conduct ensures that products are manufactured under good working conditions. Work involved in the monitoring and control of Code observance is progressing steadily and a good deal remains to be done, since such efforts are never ending.
The complete Code of Conduct is available below.
HEMTEX’S SUPPLIER CODE OF CONDUCT
This Code of Conduct applies to all the Supplier/s involved in the manufacture or supply of products to Hemtex.
While Hemtex recognizes that there are different legal and cultural environments in which factories operate throughout the world, this Code of Conduct sets forth the basic requirements that all the Supplier/s must meet in order to do business with Hemtex. The conditions set out in the Code of Conduct are merely minimum requirements.
The Supplier/s must observe relevant UN Conventions and International Agreements; for example ILO conventions 29 (Forced Labor), 87 (Freedom of Association), 98 (Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining), 100 (Equal Remuneration), 105 (Abolition of Forced Labor), 111 (Discrimination), 138 (Minimum Age) and 182 (Worst Form of Child Labor). Other established social rules and principles of Public International Law than the ones mentioned in this Code of Conduct shall also be regarded as included in and covered by this Code of Conduct.
The Supplier/s are responsible for ensuring that all factories involved in the manufacture of the products to Hemtex comply with this Code of Conduct, whether the Supplier/s own/s the relevant factory or not.
1. GENERAL PRINCIPLE
The Supplier/s that manufacture products for Hemtex shall operate in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including those relating to labor, workers’ health and safety. Should any of the following requirements in this Code of Conduct violate applicable mandatory national law in any country or territory, the national law should always be followed. In such a case, the Supplier/s must inform Hemtex immediately when receiving this Code of Conduct or when the relevant mandatory national law is implemented.
However, it must be stressed that the requirements set by Hemtex in this Code of Conduct may not be limited to the requirements of non-mandatory national law.
The Supplier/s shall allow Hemtex and/or any of its representatives unrestricted access to its, and its sub-supplier’s/s’, facilities and to all relevant records at all times, whether notice is provided in advance by Hemtex or its representatives or not.
2. DISCRIMINATION
The Supplier/s shall employ workers on the basis of their ability to do the job, and never on the basis of their beliefs, race, color, gender, nationality, religion, age, maternity, marital status or any other personal characteristics.
The Supplier/s shall pay wages to the workers and provide benefits without any regard whatsoever to beliefs, race, color, gender, nationality, religion, age, maternity, marital status or any other personal characteristics.
3. CHILD LABOR
A “child”, in this context, is a person younger than fifteen (15) years of age or, as an exception, fourteen (14) years in countries covered by article 2.4 in the ILO convention No. 138 (Minimum Age).
The Supplier/s shall not use child labor in violation of the local laws of the countries of the Supplier/s or by the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, Article 32.1.
The Supplier/s is/are encouraged to develop lawful workplace apprenticeship programs for the educational benefit of their workers, provided that all participants meet the minimum legal age requirement.
Every worker employed by the Supplier/s shall meet the applicable minimum legal age requirement.
The Supplier/s shall comply with all applicable child labor laws, including those related to hiring, wages, working hours, overtime and working conditions.
The Supplier/s shall maintain official documentation for every worker that verifies the worker’s date of birth.
4. WAGES AND WORKING HOURS
The Supplier/s shall set working hours, wages and overtime compensation in compliance with all applicable local laws.
Workers shall be paid at least the minimum legal wage and overtime compensation or the local industry standard, whichever is greater.
While it is understood that overtime work is often required in textile production, the Suppliers/s shall carry out its/their operations in ways that limit overtime to a level that ensures human and productive working conditions.
The Supplier/s shall not require, on a regularly scheduled basis, a workweek in excess of 60 hours.
Workers shall have at least one day off during every week of seven days.
The Supplier/s shall provide paid annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave or other holiday as required by law or which meets the local industry standard, whichever is greater.
The Supplier/s shall provide workers with a wage statement for every period, which includes the number of days worked, wage or piece rate earned per day, hours of overtime and overtime compensation, bonuses, allowances and legal contractual deductions, if any.
5. WORKING CONDITIONS
The Supplier/s shall treat all workers with respect and dignity and provide them with a safe and healthy environment.
The Supplier/s shall comply with all applicable local laws and regulations regarding working conditions, including worker’s health and safety, sanitation, fire safety, risk protection and electrical, mechanical and structural safety.
The Supplier/s shall not use corporal punishment or any other form of physical or psychological coercion such as threats of violence, sexual harassment, or other abuse.
The Supplier/s shall not engage in or permit physical acts to punish or coerce workers.
The Supplier’s/s’ factories shall be sufficiently lighted and ventilated; there must be windows, fans and/or air conditioners and/or heaters in all work areas for adequate circulation, ventilation and temperature control.
There shall be sufficient, clearly marked exits allowing for the orderly evacuation of workers in case of fire or other emergencies. Exits shall be kept free from obstructing objects and remain accessible and unlocked during all working hours.
Fire extinguishers shall be regularly maintained and charged and kept visible and accessible for all workers.
The Supplier/s shall provide adequate drinking water for all workers and allow reasonable access to it throughout the working day.
The Supplier/s shall maintain clean and sanitary toilet areas throughout the working hours and put on reasonable restrictions on their use.
6. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION
Workers shall be free to join associations of their own choice. The Supplier/s shall not interfere with workers who wish to lawfully and peacefully associate, organize or bargain collectively. The decision whether or not to do so shall be made solely by the workers.
