My Childe
Our Workplace Standards
My Childe was established in 2020 and conducts business in a manner which reflects our values and long term sustainability. We are committed to ensuring that the social and ethical implications of manufacturing in all our source locations are considered responsibly.
As a new business ‘designing out’ plastic in children's essentials, we are lucky to have the opportunity to Start from Zero. Building a business from the ground up, we are able to innovate to minimise our impact - on the environment, in human and labour rights and workplace safety.
Our Workplace Standards apply to all Vendors and suppliers of products and services to My Childe. It is the responsibility of the supplier to ensure that their suppliers and agreed subcontractors adhere to this code. We take our responsibilities to the environment and safety seriously. Together with our Vendors we will continue to seek out opportunities to achieve sustainable ongoing improvements. We will continue to update our Workplace Standards on a regular basis,
We are new, and we are continually adapting as we learn and will evolve as our business grows.
AIMS
In helping us to fulfil this mission, we expect our partners – contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and others – to operate sustainably and to conduct themselves with the utmost fairness, honesty and responsibility in all aspects of their businesses.
They must comply with all relevant legal requirements while conducting their businesses, and follow practices which safeguard:
Human rights
Child Labour
Workers’ employment rights
Safety; and
The environment.
HUMAN RIGHTS
My Childe is committed to respecting human rights. We will refrain from entering into any relationship with any organisation which supports, solicits or encourages others to abuse human rights. We expect the same of our suppliers.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
FORCED LABOUR
Our suppliers must not use forced labour, whether in the form of prison labour, indentured labour, bonded labour or otherwise, or permit the trafficking in persons for the purposes of forced labour. No employee may be compelled to work through force or intimidation of any form, especially as a means of political coercion or as punishment for holding or expressing political views.
CHILD LABOUR
There shall be no exploitation of child labour at any point within the supply chain. Manufacturers shall not employ children under the age of 15 years or persons who fall below the local legal minimum working age, whichever is the greater. Workers shall only be employed in accordance with all applicable local laws, regulations and industry standards. Workers under the age of 18 must not perform potentially hazardous work and there must be adequate steps to ensure that there are no adverse effects on the education and safety of the employee. Workers under the age of 18 shall not be permitted to work at night.
DISCRIMINATION
Our suppliers must not discriminate in recruitment and employment practices.
Decisions about hiring, salary, benefits, training opportunities, work assignments, advancement, discipline and termination must be based solely on ability to perform the job, rather than on the basis of personal characteristics or beliefs, such as race, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, marital status, parental status, association membership, sexual orientation or political opinion.
WAGES, BENEFITS & COMPENSATION
All legal requirements relating to Fair Living Wages and benefits must be met. All workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about employment conditions and wages before they commence employment, as well as remuneration details at each payment period
Wages must equal or exceed the minimum wage required by law or the prevailing industry wage, whichever is higher. In addition to compensation for regular working hours, employees must be compensated for overtime hours at the rate legally required in the country of manufacture or, in those countries where such laws do not exist, at a rate exceeding the regular hourly compensation rate.
Workers have the right to compensation for a regular work week that is sufficient to meet workers’ basic needs and provide some discretionary income. Where compensation does not meet workers’ basic needs and provide some discretionary income, business partners must take appropriate actions to progressively raise employee compensation and living standards through improved wage systems, benefits, welfare programmes and other services.
WORKING HOURS
Employees must not be required, except in extraordinary circumstances, to work more than sixty (60) hours per week including overtime or the local legal requirement, whichever is less. A regular work week must not exceed 48 hours, all overtime work must be consensual and not requested on a regular basis. Employees must be allowed at least twenty four (24) consecutive hours rest within every seven-day period, and must receive paid annual leave.
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION & COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
Business partners must recognise and respect the right of employees to join and organise associations of their own choosing and to bargain collectively. Business partners must develop and fully implement mechanisms for resolving industrial disputes, including employee grievances, and ensure effective communication with employees and their representatives.
DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES
Employees must be treated with respect and dignity. No employee may be subjected to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse, or to fines or penalties as a disciplinary measure.
Our partners must publicise and enforce a non-retaliation policy that permits factory employees to express their concerns about workplace conditions directly to factory management or to My Childe without fear of retribution or losing their jobs.
HEALTH & SAFETY
A working environment that is clean, safe, hygienic and has adequate lighting, heating and ventilation systems must be provided.
Access to clean drinking water, adequate sanitary washing and toilet facilities shall be available.
Occupational health and safety (OH&S) practices, including protection from fire, accidents and toxic substances, are required in order to prevent accidents and injury. These standards should be maintained for factories, canteens and dormitories.
Our partners must have health and safety policies which are clearly communicated to employees. Where residential facilities are provided to employees, the same standards apply.
ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
All suppliers must work to minimise any negative impact on the environment. All relevant national and international environmental legislation must be adhered to in all manufacturing processes in the supply chain.
Our partners must make progressive improvement in environmental performance in their own operations and require the same of their partners, suppliers and subcontractors. This includes: integrating principles of sustainability into business decisions; responsible use of natural resources; adoption of cleaner production and pollution prevention measures; and designing and developing products, materials and technologies according to the principles of sustainability.
REVIEW
As a set of guiding principles, our Workplace Standards help us to identify potential problems so that we can work with our business partners to address issues of concern if and when they arise. Business partners will develop and implement action plans for continuous improvement in factory working conditions. Progress against these plans will be monitored by the businesses themselves, our internal monitoring team and external independent monitors.