Finisterre - A Positive Impact Business
Our design ethos has always been to build the best and most sustainable product we can, that is fit for purpose and built to last. In order to achieve this, we partner with suppliers who share our values and provide them with a Code of Conduct which they must commit to before working with us. It outlines our minimum requirements to respect the health, safety, welfare and human rights of everyone working in the supply chain. As part of our company’s Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) strategy, our Code of Conduct is third party regulated by Fair Working Conditions through a social compliance program, ensuring that all finished Finisterre product has been produced in full compliance with our Code of Conduct.
Global Sourcing Principles
Since Finisterre was founded in 2003, we have been deeply committed to caring for both people and the planet. We strive to be ethical, honest, and transparent in everything we do, and we recognise the importance of fostering high ethical standards within our supply chain. In return, we expect our suppliers to adhere to the principles outlined in our Code of Conduct, which sets the foundation for our relationships.
In 2018 Finisterre became a certified B Corp, meaning we have a legal obligation to all stakeholders to ensure that the people, environment and communities where we operate are all looked after positively, whether in our head office, stores, supply chain.
Finisterre understands that responsible purchasing practices are essential in upholding these values, and we are committed to conducting business through transparent and fair means. We take great pride in the long-term partnerships we build with our suppliers and believe that by working together, we can achieve a positive impact on everyone involved.
We expect our suppliers to not only obey the law but also take great care to respect the wellbeing of their employees, communities, and environment in which they operate. They are required to sign up to our Code of Conduct and communicate and implement these principles throughout their business dealings for Finisterre, including with their own employees and their downstream suppliers.
Finisterre’s aim is to develop and maintain a sustainable supply chain that adheres to our Code of Conduct and internationally recognised human rights standards. They include principles of international law such as the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: no child labour, no forced labour, no discrimination, and the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Our principles also cover best practices in wages, working hours, communication of employment conditions, grievances and disciplinaries and health and safety in the workplace.
In addition, we expect our partner suppliers to meet our high expectations of respect for the environment.
Finisterre takes these principles extremely seriously and expect our suppliers to work towards exceeding these requirements. All direct suppliers are required to sign up to our principles. This is followed up by frequent visits by our own employees as well as visits from external auditors. Corrective action plans and capacity-building programs will be implemented where necessary. I hope you will join me in helping us ensure that the people, environment, and communities where we operate are all able to benefit with Finisterre’s help.
Supplier Code Of Conduct
1. No Child Labour
There shall be no recruitment of child labour. Children under the age of 15 shall not be recruited or employed (or higher age if required by the law). Children and young persons under the age of 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.
The policies and procedures shall conform to the relevant International Labour Organisation (ILO) policies.
2. Employment is freely chosen
There shall be no forced, bonded, or involuntary prison labour. Workers must not be required to lodge deposits, pay recruitment fees, or surrender their identity documents or certifications as a condition of employment. Wages must not be withheld unlawfully, and workers must be free to leave their employer after reasonable notice. Additionally, workers must have full freedom of movement, including access to toilet and water breaks, without any form of restriction or penalty.
3. Freedom of association and employee representation
Suppliers should respect the rights of employees to join or form an association of their choosing (such as workers council, union, or workers association) and to bargain collectively regarding their terms and conditions of employment.
Where law restricts the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, the employer should facilitate, and not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining. Representatives must not be discriminated against and must be enabled to carry out their representative function in the workplace.
4. No Discrimination
There must be no discrimination with regards to hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination, or retirement based on race, caste, nationality, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, union, political membership or any other legally protected category.
5. Wages and benefits of employment
Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week must meet, as a minimum, national legal requirements, or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. Wages should cover the need to meet both basic needs and some discretionary income. Our expectation is to continuously work towards paying a living wage, ensuring that wages not only meet legal and benchmark standards but also support a decent standard of living. All workers should be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions and wages before employment and provided with wage slips for each period they are paid. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure is not permitted. Only deductions required by law are permitted and should not be taken without the expressed permission of the worker concerned.
6. Hours of work and regular employment
Accurate attendance, payroll and production records shall be maintained. Suppliers must commit to working towards compliance with ILO guidelines and national laws, whichever offers greatest protection. Overtime must be voluntary, and all employees should receive at least one rest day in every seven. Overtime should be paid at a premium rate. To every extent possible work performed should be on the basis of a recognised employment relationship. All workers should be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions before the commencement of their contract. Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations should not be avoided through the use of home working schemes, subcontracting or apprenticeships where there is no intent to provide regular employment. The conditions for the termination of a contract should be laid out before employment commences and conform to established and transparent company practices and local law.
7. No Harassment
There should be no tolerance of physical, sexual, verbal or other form of abuse in the workplace. Bullying, intimidation, harassment, coercion or any other form of inhumane and degrading behaviour must be strictly prohibited.
8. Health and safety
A safe, clean and hygienic environment should be provided, taking into account the specific hazards of the industry. Adequate steps should be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health at work. Workers should receive regular and recorded health and safety training. All workers should have access to clean toilet facilities and drinking water. Where provided accommodation should be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of workers. A senior manager should be appointed as the Health and Safety representative for the company.
9. Grievances and Discipline
Suppliers are expected to establish and maintain a clear, fair, and proportionate disciplinary procedure that is communicated effectively to all employees. This procedure should ensure that all workers are aware of the process for raising grievances and the steps involved in addressing disciplinary matters. The process must be transparent, providing workers with a fair opportunity to present their case and receive a reasoned response. It should also protect employees from unfair treatment and ensure that any disciplinary actions are consistent with the nature of the infraction. By upholding these standards, suppliers contribute to a respectful and equitable workplace environment.
10. Whistleblowing
We require our suppliers to provide an internal mechanism for reporting, investigating and remedying any wrongdoing in the workplace, and to ensure that whistle blowers do not suffer any detrimental treatment as a result of raising a genuine concern. If you would like support in setting up a whistleblowing policy and system, please get in touch to see how we can help.
11. Environment
We take the environmental impact of our operations very seriously and work hard to minimise our impacts as far as possible. As a minimum, we expect all suppliers to comply with local and national environmental legislation. We also set targets and commitments on our key environmental impacts. Suppliers must support us to achieve those targets by tracking their energy consumption and completing an Impact Tracker on an annual basis.
All hazardous and non-hazardous chemical emissions must be tracked throughout the supply chain. How chemicals are disposed of must be documented and reports must be available for inspection.
12. Anti-Slavery and Trafficking
We are committed to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains. All suppliers my comply with our Anti-Slavery and Trafficking Policy.