Jasco is committed to conducting business with the highest standards of integrity, in accordance with our international obligations and in compliance with all applicable laws.
Jasco supports the principles of ethical and socially responsible business practices and is committed to integrating same into its business operations.
This Ethical Sourcing Policy (Policy) reflects Jasco’s commitment to the ethical manufacture and supply of merchandise, and working with suppliers to align their practices. The Policy is based on internationally accepted labour standards. Jasco has the expectation that its suppliers will also share and demonstrate the same commitment in whichever country they operate.
OUR EXPECTATIONS
This Policy outlines the minimum ethical standards that all suppliers and their sub-contractors must comply with when producing and supplying merchandise for Jasco.
The Policy is based on Jasco’s commitment to respecting core labour standards established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), protecting and respecting human rights as set out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and promoting environmental sustainability.
Suppliers are expected to implement and maintain systems to achieve compliance with this Policy as well as national laws. Where the provisions of the law and this Policy address the same subject, whichever affords greater protection applies.
Jasco expects its suppliers to:
In cases where suppliers may not be fully compliant with the ethical standards, Jasco is committed to working with them to develop and implement continual improvement plans to achieve compliance over time.
ETHICAL STANDARDS
Jasco aims to have its suppliers comply with the following ethical standards, and any associated laws and regulations in their country of operation and manufacture. Where there is a conflict between the ethical standard and local laws, whichever affords greater protection is preferred.
Suppliers shall engage professional business ethics in all dealings. Suppliers shall not engage in acts of bribery or corruption and shall not falsify documents or records, during, or as a part of, any audit process under this Policy.
Jasco actively supports practises which comply with human rights and social justice standards.
2.1 Labour Rights – Suppliers shall not use forced, bonded (debt) or involuntary labour. Workers will not be required to lodge “deposits” or their identity papers with the supplier, and must be free to leave once their shift ends, or to cease their employment after giving their employer reasonable notice.
2.2 Bondage – Suppliers are prohibited from denying access to a person’s identity or immigration papers
2.3 People Trafficking – Suppliers will not engage in any form of trafficking in persons
2.4 Recruitment – Suppliers will not use misleading practices during the recruitment process including denial of basic information about the position, material misrepresentation of remuneration, benefits and conditions and costs to be borne by the candidate. Applicants will not be charged recruitment fees.
2.5 Debts - Employees will not be forced to pay off a debt.
Suppliers shall 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 trade 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 will facilitate and not hinder the development of alternative means of independent and free association and bargaining.
Suppliers will provide workers with a safe and hygienic working environment, taking into account the prevailing knowledge of the industry, any specific hazards and any applicable laws and standards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health occurring during the course of work, by actively minimising the causes of hazards in the work environment.
Suppliers will also provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Suppliers shall provide adequate safeguards against fire and shall ensure strength, stability and safety of buildings and equipment (including residential accommodation where provided). This will include (but is not limited to) an adequate number of unlocked, freely accessible and clearly marked exits for emergency evacuations, and properly maintained firefighting equipment.
Workers must be appropriately supervised and trained to perform their jobs safely, receiving regular and recorded health and safety training and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers. Suppliers will also ensure that personal protective safety equipment is available, and workers are trained in its use. Safeguards on machinery must meet or exceed local laws.
Suppliers will 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 shall be clean, safe and meet the basic needs of the workers.
The term “child labour” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.
Suppliers shall 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. A child is defined as an individual who is younger than the local legal age for completion of compulsory education. Jasco has a zero-tolerance policy to child labour.
Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week must meet, as a minimum, any applicable local laws or industry benchmark standards, whichever is the higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and provide some discretionary income for workers and their families.
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 shall not be permitted, or any deductions from wages not provided for by Law without the expressed permission of workers. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.
Working hours shall comply with any Law and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection. In principle, workers shall not on a regular basis be required to work excessive hours per week and shall be provided with time off.
Overtime should be voluntary, must not be excessive, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and must be compensated at a premium rate.
Suppliers shall respect all workers’ rights to breaks during work shifts.
Suppliers shall comply with national/local laws for workers’ entitlements to public and annual holidays.
Suppliers shall not discriminate in hiring, promotion, compensation, access to training, termination or retirement, based on personal characteristics, such as race, caste, social background, disease, ethnic and national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
Terms and conditions of employment shall be based on an individual’s ability to do the job, not their personal characteristics or beliefs.
Suppliers must ensure that they provide an environment where their employees can work without distress or interference caused by discrimination, harassment, or any other inappropriate workplace behaviour.
To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice and international labour standards whichever affords greater protection.
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, subcontracting, 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.
Workers shall be treated with dignity and respect. Suppliers will not use (either directly or indirectly) any physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment, verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation. All employee performance management measures should be recorded.
Suppliers shall 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.
The Supplier shall implement processes to enable adequate control over employment agencies with regards to the above points and related legislation.
There shall be no sub-contracting unless previously agreed with Jasco.
Suppliers must have adequate processes in place for properly managing sub-contracting and home working to ensure sub-contractors do not abuse, exploit or provide unsafe working conditions for their employees.
Suppliers shall comply with local and national environmental protection laws and regulations, and ensure that key environmental impacts of facilities are identified, and controls implemented to minimise the impact of the supplier’s operations on the environment.
COMPLIANCE
Suppliers are required to ensure compliance with this Policy, and maintain adequate records to demonstrate a pro-active program is in place.
Compliance with this Policy will be monitored. Jasco employees, agents or representatives may visit supplier facilities to audit compliance with this Policy.
Non-compliance with this Policy will require the supplier to undertake corrective action, dependent upon the nature of the breach. In cases where Jasco deems it appropriate to do so, the business relationship may be terminated by Jasco.