Ethical Trading & Social Responsibility Policy

SECTION A - Introduction

Mission Statement   

At Grangers International, we are committed to conducting our business in a manner that upholds high ethical standards and social responsibility. We recognise the impact of our actions on the well-being of our stakeholders and the wider society. This policy and Ethical Trading Code of Practice reflects our dedication to ethical trade and social responsibility.

 

SECTION B - Policy Statement

Grangers International is fully committed to complying with the 9 points of the ETI base code. 

This we believe will demonstrate to our stakeholders that Grangers International is striving to ensure working standards and the rights of the workforce are dealt with ethically and respectfully. We are members of SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) and arrange annual SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) audits on-site.

Grangers International recognises that our commercial activities have a potential to impact on our stakeholders.

 

As a socially responsible company, Grangers International believes that its stakeholders have a right to expect the following:

1. Products manufactured and sourced by Grangers International are produced under safe and hygienic working conditions.

2. Employees, contractors and visitors at Grangers International are treated with full consideration of their basic human rights.

3. Grangers International acts in an ethical manner surpassing that of the basic legal requirements.

4. This policy sets out the commitment of Grangers International to its stakeholders, detailing the measures being taken to ensure that the company is acting in an ethical and moral manner.

 

SECTION C - Policy Commitments

Grangers International understands that our ethical and social performance and reputation is part of our overall commercial success.

Employees

Grangers International have introduced policies to protect and value worker rights and to ensure the company operates in many areas above the minimum standard required by law.

Customers

Grangers International is committed to demonstrating its ethical and social responsibility credentials to allow customers to make an informed choice when choosing who to purchase products from.

Suppliers

Grangers International is committed to monitoring the ethical and social standards of our supply chain and initially this is taken care of by a supplier questionnaire with further investigation for main suppliers.  This gives an indication of the supplier’s commitment to abide by the ethical and social standards as laid down by the ETI Base code.

 

SECTION D - Ethical Trading Code of Practice

This code of practice applies to:

  • Staff directly employed by Grangers International on temporary or permanent contracts.
  • Staff employed or provided by employment agencies to carry out work on Grangers International premises.

The principles adopted by Grangers International in this policy document are based on the internationally accepted standards set out in the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code of Labour Standards.

Grangers International will, as far as is reasonably practicable, ensure that our suppliers and their sub-contractors, comply with the stated policy requirements. 

 

1. Employment is freely chosen. 

  • Employment is freely chosen. There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
  • Workers are not required to lodge "deposits" or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.

2. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected. 

  • Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.
  • The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities.
  • Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.
  • Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

 3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic. 

  • A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards.
  • 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 practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.
  • Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
  • Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.
  • Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.
  • The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.
  • The Grangers International health & safety policy and handbook, available to staff and visitors, identifies safety requirements, procedures and responsibilities.
  • A Grangers International health & safety committee is in place to discuss and resolve incidents, accidents, near misses, and incidents of unsafe working practice.

 4. Child labour shall not be used. 

  • There shall be no recruitment of child labour.
  • Children under the age of 16 are not employed at any time day or night.
  • Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.
  • These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant International Labour (ILO) standards.

 5. Living wages are paid. 

  • Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.
  • All workers shall be provided with written and understandable Information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid.
  • Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.
  • Staff receive written terms and conditions of employment that detail the employment relationship between and the respective obligations of the employee and employer, working hours, grievance and disciplinary procedures, holiday entitlement, absence & sick pay rules and notice periods for termination of employment.

 6. Working hours are not excessive. 

  • Working hours must comply with national laws, collective agreements, and the provisions of 6.2 to 6.6 below, whichever affords the greater protection for workers. 6.2 to 6.6 are based on international labour standards.
  • Working hours, excluding overtime, shall be defined by contract, and shall not exceed 48 hours per week*.
  • All overtime shall be voluntary. Overtime shall be used responsibly, taking into account all the following: the extent, frequency and hours worked by individual workers and the workforce as a whole. It shall not be used to replace regular employment. Overtime shall always be compensated at a premium rate, which is recommended to be not less than 125% of the regular rate of pay.
  • The total hours worked in any 7 day period shall not exceed 60 hours, except where covered by clause below.
  • Working hours may exceed 60 hours in any 7 day period only in exceptional circumstances where all of the following are met:
  • This is allowed by national law.
  • This is allowed by a collective agreement freely negotiated with a workers’ organisation representing a significant portion of the workforce.
  • Appropriate safeguards are taken to protect the workers’ health and safety.
  • The employer can demonstrate that exceptional circumstances apply such as unexpected production peaks, accidents or emergencies.
  • Workers shall be provided with at least one day off in every 7 day period or, where allowed by national law, 2 days off in every 14 day period.*

*International standards recommend the progressive reduction of normal hours of work, when appropriate, to 40 hours per week, without any reduction in workers’ wages as hours are reduced.

 7. No discrimination is practiced. 

  • There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
  • Opportunities for personal career development are equally available to all employees.

 8. Regular employment is provided. 

  • To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.
  • Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of labour-only contracting, sub- contracting, or home-working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.
  • Sub-Contracting and fixed term contracts are not used as a means to avoid obligations under the labour or social security laws.

 9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed.

  • Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited, treated as gross misconduct and subject to dismissal if proved.

 

SECTION E - Environmental Performance and Sustainability 

At Grangers International, we are dedicated to minimising our environmental impact. This involves reducing resource consumption, waste generation, and emissions, as well as ensuring that componentry, packaging and raw materials are appropriately sourced.

Examples of our commitment to environmental performance and sustainability include;

  • Environmental sustainability is of the upmost importance to us at Grangers International and we are proud to be certified to ISO 14001, an internationally agreed and recognised standard for Environmental Management Systems.
  • To further ensure we maintain a sustainability ethos we are partners with Bluesign® who offer product stewardship to help us manage our chemical and environmental responsibilities in the strict manner required for ongoing stewardship.
  • To comply with stewardship, it is necessary to register Grangers products with Bluesign® and ensure that transparency with Bluesign® extends to production processes, waste management and supply chain auditing.
  • We do not use perfluorochemicals (PFCs) in any of our products.
  • We manufacture from a purpose-built facility which opened in 2019. Further recent investment has resulted in an 80% reduction in off-gas emissions.
  • We are certified to the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) standard.
  • Recycling is a core part of our waste management system. All back door waste is recycled, and all plastic componentry purchased uses 50-100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic.
  • We offer a Wash & Proof service whereby customers can send in their existing outdoor garments to be cleaned and reproofed thus closing the loop and prolonging the lifecycle of unrecyclable jackets.

 

SECTION F - Business Continuity 

A business continuity plan has been developed to include emergency planning in the event of disaster.  This includes a general outline of emergency procedures, contacts, procedures in the event of a fatality or serious injury, disruption of process and alternative facilities, customer care during disruption and a listing of process equipment and service providers.