BSI Merch Corporate Social Responsibility Policy

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We all have a right to a safe and healthy work environment, a living wage, a legally binding contract. We all have a right to be free from discrimination and harassment, to join – or not to join – a labour union, to choose our work freely. We all have a right to fair and reasonable working hours. And our children have a right to go to school.

BSI Merch has adopted a Zero Tolerance policy with regard to the following minimum social responsibility criteria:

• No use of child labour
• No use of forced labour
• Safe and healthy working conditions
• Legal labour contracts
• Payment of living wage
• Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
• No discrimination against employees
• No excessive hours of work

BSI Merch has been running a pro-active social responsibility programme since early 2006.

Ethical Manufacturing & Justice for Workers

Pressure to produce quickly increasing quantities of cheap textiles has led the apparel industry to allow some of the most unethical trade practices on the planet, worst examples include child labour – bonded child labour, excessive working hours – twelve hours a day – seven days a week, unsafe, unhygienic working conditions.

To ensure that BSI Merch does not contribute to the social injustice seen in manufacturing, commonly known as sweatshop labour, even unwittingly, we have made insisted for transparency from  our manufacturing supply chain and only deal with suppliers affiliated with The Fair Wear Foundation.

Fair Wear Foundation

The Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) exists to promote fair labour conditions in the garment industry worldwide. Our suppliers have undersigned the FWF’s Code of Labour practices, and thereby have committed to monitor the factories of our suppliers, and the Fair Wear Foundation verifies that the Code of Labour Practices is implemented and respected at the factories.

Companies that become members of FWF and sign the Code of Conduct take on the obligation to adhere to the labour standards in their own business operations. They also accept the duty to do everything possible to get other companies in their chain (e.g. suppliers) to respect these labour standards.

FWF is governed by the following organisations:

• Modint (business association for manufacturers and distributors of fashion, interior design, carpets and textiles)
• CBW-MITEX (business association for retailers of interior design, fashion, shoes and sportswear)
• FNV Bondgenoten (federation of trade unions – service industry)
• CNV Dienstenbond (Christian trade union – service industry)
• Clean Clothes Campaign

Together with the Ethical Trading Initiative, the Fair Labor Association, Social Accountability International, the Workers Rights Consortium and the Clean Clothes Campaign, FWF participated in the Joint Initiative for Corporate Accountability and Workers’ Rights.

You can find out more about the International Labour Organisation, its work and the international labour conventions by clicking here

Members subscribe to the FWF Code of Conduct and accept independent verification of the implementation of the Code of Conduct. They thereby take responsibility for working conditions in the production chain.

The Code of Conduct is based on the Conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Code of Conduct for the Garment Industry incorporates the following eight labour standards:

No use of child labour

No use is made of child labour. Employees must have completed their period of compulsory education and must be at least 15 years old. Any form of slavery or comparable practices such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage, serfdom and forced or compulsory labour are out of the question. Children [in the age group 15-18] may not perform any work that, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm their health, safety or morals. Conventions 138 and 182

No use of forced labour

No use will be made of forced labour; this includes forced labour to redeem a debt of work by jail prisoners. Conventions 29 and 105

Safe and healthy working conditions

Measures will be taken to ensure a safe and hygienic working environment, taking into account the available knowledge in the branch of industry and possible specific risks. Effective measures will be taken to prevent accidents and damage to health resulting from, or related to, the work. Risk factors in the work situation are to be minimised insofar as reasonably possible. Physical violence, threats of physical violence, unusual punishments or disciplinary measures and sexual or other forms of intimidation by the employer are strictly forbidden. Convention 155

Legal labour contract

Employers’ obligations arising from social insurance laws and regulations applicable to a normal labour contract will not be avoided by introducing sham contracts or apprenticeship contracts where there is no intention to enter into a normal labour contract. Young employees must be given the opportunity to take part in programs of training and education.

Payment of a living wage

The wages and benefits paid for a standard working week will at least match the legal minimum standards or the standards that are common for the branch of industry, and will always be adequate to meet the basic needs of the workers and their families and to provide a certain amount of disposable income. Deductions from wages for disciplinary purposes will not be permitted; deductions from wages for other purposes will only take place insofar as legally permitted. The deductions will never lead to a situation where the employee receives less than the aforementioned minimum wage. Employees are to be informed clearly and adequately regarding their wage specifications, including the basic wage and the period over which it is paid. Conventions 26 and 131

Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining

The right of all employees to form or join trade unions and to carry out collective bargaining will be recognised. Employee representatives are not to be discriminated against and are to be given access to all work areas necessary in the performance of their duties as representatives. Conventions 87, 98, 135 and Recommendation 143

No discrimination against employees

Recruitment policy, wage policy, access to training, promotion policy, termination of employment, pensions and all other aspects of labour relations are to be conducted on the basis of equal opportunities, regardless of race, colour, religion, political orientation, trade union membership, nationality, social background, disabilities or handicaps. Conventions 100 and 111

No excessive hours of work

The hours of work will correspond to the prevailing laws and standards for the branch of industry. In no case will workers be obliged to work more than 48 hours per week on a regular basis, and they will be given at least one day off in every 7-day period. Any overtime work will be done on a voluntary basis; will not amount to more than 12 hours per week; will not be called for on a regular basis; and will always be matched by additional compensation. Convention 1