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Avatude is committed to the responsible manufacture and provision of goods and services in a responsible and consistent manner while working with factories and/or suppliers to improve their social and environmental practices. Our Ethical Sourcing Policy is based primarily on Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions to ensure our products are sourced from suppliers that support and uphold our ethical and environmental sourcing standards.
In the event that factories and/or suppliers are unable to demonstrate a commitment to Avatude’s Ethical Sourcing Policy, Avatude reserves the right to terminate any trading agreements. Factories and/or suppliers are encouraged to exceed the minimum standards, and promote best practice and continuous improvements.
To ensure that our own factories and our partner supplier’s factories are compliant with our policies, we require all our suppliers and their factories to register with SEDEX and complete the online supplier self-assessment questionnaire.
Sedex offers us the use of risk assessment tools, as well as managing our ethical sourcing program through one single platform.
Sedex is a web-based database which enables suppliers to share self-assessment information in the areas of Labour Standards, Health and Safety, Environmental Management and Business Integrity with their partners. Sedex is also an efficient way of sharing existing social compliance audit data if it is available. More information about Sedex can be found via the following link: sedexglobal.com
Based on the results of the Sedex self-assessment questionnaire, you may be required to undergo a factory audit.
Factories and/or suppliers shall not use Forced, Bonded or Involuntary Labour.
Employment shall be freely chosen.
Workers will not be required to lodge deposits or identity papers with factories and/or suppliers.
Workers shall be free to leave their employment after reasonable notice has been given.
Factories and/or suppliers shall not use child labour. Child labour is defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, the opportunity to attend school and fulfil their potential and that is harmful to their physical and mental development.
Factories and/or suppliers shall comply with the minimum legal working age in the country in question or by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 138, whichever is higher.
Factories and/or suppliers must be able to verify the age of all employees to ensure no child labour is used.
Factories and/or suppliers shall not use illegal labour.
Factories and/or suppliers must be able to verify the legal entitlement of their employees to work in the country of employment.
Wages, overtime and legally mandated benefits must meet as a minimum national or industry standards, whichever is the higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.
All workers must be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions in respect to wages, before they enter employment, and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that are paid.
Deductions from wages shall only occur with the permission of the worker concerned.
Deductions from wages for disciplinary measure are not permitted.
All disciplinary measures shall be recorded.
Working Hours must comply with applicable local laws or industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.
Workers must not work above the maximum hours per week as stipulated by local laws.
Overtime shall be voluntary, shall not be excessive, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and shall be compensated as prescribed by local laws.
Harsh or Inhumane Treatment
Factories and/or suppliers must ensure workers are treated with dignity and respect. In particular, factories and/or suppliers will provide an environment where their employees can work without distress or interference caused by harassment or discrimination which can take many forms, including physical, sexual, verbal or visual behaviour that creates an offensive, hostile, inappropriate or intimidating environment
Working Hours must comply with applicable local laws or industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.
Workers must not work above the maximum hours per week as stipulated by local laws.
Overtime shall be voluntary, shall not be excessive, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and shall be compensated as prescribed by local laws.
Factories and/or suppliers must ensure workers are treated with dignity and respect. In particular, factories and/or suppliers will provide an environment where their employees can work without distress or interference caused by harassment or discrimination which can take many forms, including physical, sexual, verbal or visual behaviour that creates an offensive, hostile, inappropriate or intimidating environment
All conditions of employment must be based on an individual’s ability to do the job, not on the basis of personal characteristics, such as gender, ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, personal beliefs, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
Factories and/or suppliers acknowledge that workers have a right to freedom of association and to bargain collectively.
Workers have a right to join or form trade unions of their choosing. Factories and/or suppliers are required to adopt an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisation activities.
Where the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted under local laws, factories and/or suppliers will not hinder the development of alternative means of independent and free association and bargaining.
Factories and/or suppliers will provide workers with a safe and clean working environment taking into consideration the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards.
Workers shall receive adequate, recorded training to perform their jobs in a safe manner.
Personal protective equipment shall be supplied and workers trained in its use.
Safeguards on machinery must meet or exceed local laws.
Workers have the right to refuse work that is unsafe.
Where factories and/or suppliers provide worker accommodation, it shall be clean, safe and meet the basic needs of workers.
Workers will have access to clean toilet facilities, clean drinking water and where appropriate sanitary facilities for food storage and
Factories and/or suppliers shall engage professional business ethics in all dealings. Factories and/or suppliers shall not engage in bribery, improper payments or corruption and provide transparent documentation and records.
There shall be no sub-contracting unless previously approved by Avatude.
Factories and/or suppliers must have adequate processes in place for properly managing sub-contracting to ensure that sub-contractors operate in accordance with Avatude’s Ethical Sourcing Policy.
Avatude and factories and/or suppliers agree that both are committed to environmentally responsible sourcing of timber and paper products. Our goal is for all timber and paper products we sell to meet the following criteria:
virgin fibre to be certified legal at a minimum and to credible internationally recognised independent third party standards, or demonstrate a sustainable and audit-able supply chain; and/or non-virgin material is 100% post-consumer recycled.
Factories and/or suppliers must comply with local and national environmental laws and regulations.
Factories and/or suppliers shall strive to comply with international standards on environmental protection.
To ensure compliance with Avatude’s Ethical Sourcing Policy the factories and/or suppliers agrees for Avatude, and Avatude reserves the right, to monitor factories and/or the Supplier supplying to Avatude through audits by third parties, surveys and/or visits by Avatude.
All local laws and regulations regarding labour, health, safety and the environment must be observed by the factories and/or suppliers.
Factories and/or suppliers must comply with the legal requirements of the countries in which they operate in addition to all elements of Avatude’s Ethical Sourcing Policy.
