Farmers New Lynn

Farmers has the expectation that its suppliers and subcontractors will also share and demonstrate the same commitment.

This Policy outlines the minimum ethical standards that all suppliers and their sub-contractors must comply with when producing and supplying merchandise or services for Farmers.

- Comply with the minimum ethical standards outlined in the Policy.
- Fully co-operate with any audit process conducted by or on behalf of Farmers; and
- Ensure that corrective action is taken as a priority to rectify any breach of this Policy.

We reserve the right to terminate business relationships with suppliers that fall short of the expectations of this policy or fail to take appropriate corrective action where necessary.

Farmers expects its suppliers to comply with the following ethical standards and any associated laws and regulations in the supplier's country of operation and manufacture.

- Employment is freely chosen.
- Workers are not permitted or encouraged to incur debt through recruitment fees, fines or other means.
- Workers must not be required to lodge deposits or their identity papers with their employer and must be free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.
- Workers must be free to leave the workplace after their shift.

Suppliers must respect that workers have the right to join a union or a worker's organisation of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.

Suppliers are required to recognise the rights of unions and their organisational activities, including as provided for by relevant legislation.

Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under the local laws, suppliers must facilitate the development of alternative means of independent and free association and bargaining.

Suppliers must provide workers with a safe and clean working environment, taking into account the prevailing knowledge of the industry, any specific hazards and any applicable laws and standards.

Adequate steps must be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health occurring during the course of work.

Suppliers must provide adequate safeguards against fire and shall ensure strength, stability and safety of buildings and equipment (including residential accommodation where provided).

Workers must receive regular and recorded health and safety training. Such training must be repeated for new or reassigned workers.

Suppliers must ensure that personal protective equipment is available and workers are trained in its use. Safeguards on machinery must meet or exceed local laws.

Suppliers must provide workers with access to clean toilet facilities, clean and drinkable water and if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage and preparation. Where suppliers provide worker accommodation, it must be clean, safe and meet the basic needs of the workers.

Suppliers must not use child labour and must only employ workers who meet the local minimum age requirement. Suppliers must verify the age of their workers and maintain evidence of workers' proof of age.

Wages and benefits paid must meet, as a minimum, any applicable local laws or benchmark industry standards, whichever is the higher. In any event wages must always be enough to meet basic needs and provide some discretionary income.

All workers must be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions with respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for each pay period.

Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure is not permitted, nor any deductions from wages not provided for by local laws without the express permission of workers. All disciplinary and performance management measures must be recorded.

Working hours must comply with local laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.

Overtime must be voluntary and not be excessive. It must not be demanded on a regular basis and must always be compensated at a premium rate.

Suppliers shall comply with national/local laws for workers' entitlements to public and annual holidays.

Suppliers must not discriminate in hiring, promotion, compensation, access to training, termination or retirement, based on personal characteristics such as race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation is prohibited. All disciplinary and performance management measures must be recorded.

To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.

Obligations to employees under local laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship must not be avoided through the use of labour-only contracting, subcontracting, home-working arrangements or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment. In addition, any such obligations must not be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

Suppliers must not use illegal labour and must be able to verify the right of their workers' (including sub-contractors') legal eligibility and entitlement to work in the country of employment by reviewing original documentation.

Suppliers must comply with local environmental protection laws and regulations. Suppliers must ensure that key environmental impacts of facilities are identified and managed to minimise the impact of the supplier's operations on the environment.

It is a supplier's responsibility to ensure compliance with this Policy, and maintain adequate records of all aspects of the ethical standards set out in this Policy.

Farmer's employees, agents or representatives may visit supplier's factories or facilities to audit a supplier's compliance with this Policy.

Non-compliance with this Policy will require the supplier to undertake corrective action, the extent of which will be dependent upon the nature of the breach. Farmers may terminate the business relationship where deemed appropriate.