Engagement criteria
The following engagement criteria primarily address issues under the control of business partners, suppliers and vendors. A prior examination should be made of the social, political and business environments of the countries where any kind of cooperation is planned.
Ethical standards
Business should only be done with those who use sound and legal practices, minimize the potential for conflicts of interest, prohibit the giving or receiving of gifts and gratuities, place the utmost importance in truth and full disclosure, and comply with all specifications, quality criteria and product requirements.
Health and safety
All business partners should be committed to a safe and healthy work place and should comply with all applicable laws and regulations that apply to health and safety. Furthermore, there should be appropriate methods for dealing with hazardous materials. All partners providing residential facilities should maintain them in a healthy and safe manner.
Environmental
All business partners should be committed to environmentally safe practices and should be in compliance with local, national, federal and international regulations. Care should be taken with environmentally sensitive substances or processes.
All business partners involved in production should seek to actively minimize its environmental effects and follow local law and regulations including the EU Regulation on chemical law REACH. Forbidden chemical substance are unacceptable.
Employment practices
Business should only be done with those who do not subject their workers to physical risks, recognize the right of free association, and do not exploit their workers. Mental or physical threats and physical punishment of any kind should not be allowed.
Wages and benefits should comply with the law and prevailing local practice. All fees and/or wages deductions should be fair and reasonable. Working hours must be preset on a daily, weekly and monthly basis with compensation for overtime. Child labour should not be used by any partners, suppliers or anyone in the supply chain. A person under the age of 16 years, or 14 years depending on national legislation, is considered a child. No forced or prison labour should be used by partners, suppliers or their suppliers.
Non-discrimination as well as cultural diversity should be supported, and employment practices should be based on skills and abilities. Business should not be done with those who discriminate in any way. Corruption, including blackmailing and bribes, should not be tolerated.
General
The intention is only to do business with partners, sources and vendors who contribute to the betterment of their communities and who train and develop their workers.
The IUCAB Recommended Code of Conduct is based on the following documents and created in accordance with:
UN’s conventions on Human Rights including Children’s Rights
http://www.hrweb.org/
ILO’s (International Labour Organisation, a trade union organisation within the UN – system) conventions on working conditions and workers rights in the work place
http://www.ilo.org/
The Rio declaration on Environment and Development
http://www.unep.org/
The UN’s convention on corruption
http://www.unodc.org/
Social Accountability International — Human Rights at Work, SA8000
http://www.sa-intl.org/
Standard providing guidelines for social responsibility, ISO26000
http://isotc.iso.org/
Business Social Compliance Initiative, BSCI Code of Conduct
http://www.bsci-eu.org/
The United Nations Global Compact have a mission to mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create the world we want. To end extreme poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change. Of course, Trade Partners Sweden and Stockholm Fashion District have joined forces and are participants in the UN Global Compact.