General Pants Group Supplier Code Of Conduct

Conducting business ethically and sustainably

General Pants Group (General Pants) aims to conduct its business ethically and sustainably. This includes sourcing garments, accessories and other goods from suppliers who respect internationally recognised labour rights principles such as those set out in the Ethical Trading Initiative and the Conventions of the International Labour Organisation. We expect and require our suppliers to comply with this Supplier Code of Conduct (Code). General Pants cares for people and the environment. We expect the same from our suppliers.

Code applies throughout the supply chain

General Pants expects and requires suppliers to apply this Code throughout suppliers’ entire supply chain, including the mills and farms that are supplying raw materials. This means suppliers should require, and regularly check, that their suppliers and all sub suppliers across all levels of the supply chain are complying with this Code. Suppliers must ensure their suppliers and sub suppliers across all levels of the supply chain include this Code in all Supply Contracts.

Supplier Code of Conduct

1. . Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
   1. Workers, without distinction whatsoever and irrespective of sex, shall have the right to establish and join established unions or organizations of their own choosing, subject only to the rules of the organization concerned, without previous authorization.
   2. Women and men workers’ wishes to collectively bargain for terms and conditions are to be respected.
   3. When the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, employers shall not obstruct legal alternative means for women and men workers to join or form associations. Employers shall not use any form of physical or psychological violence, threats, intimidation, retaliation, harassment, or abuse against union representatives and workers, irrespective of their sex, seeking to form or join an organization of their own choosing.
 
2. . Employment is freely chosen
   1. Suppliers must not use any form of forced or involuntary labour, including prison labour.
   2. Suppliers are required to ensure workers’ freedom of movement. Workers must be free to willingly and voluntarily enter or leave the work relationship at any time.
   3. Practices that restrict workers’ freedom of movement or ability to terminate his or her employment are prohibited.
   4. Workers, both men and women, shall not be required to make deposits and/or financial guarantees and their identity documents (such as passports, identity cards, etc.) shall not be retained.
   5. Migrant workers shall have exactly the same entitlements as local employees. Any commissions and other fees in connection with employment of migrant workers must be covered by the employer. The employer must not require the employee to submit his/her identification documents. Deposits are not allowed. Workers employed through an agent or contractor are the responsibility of the supplier and other business partners, and are thus covered by this Code.
 
3. . Child labour shall not be used
   1. Women and men workers should be over 15 years of age. Workers performing work at night or in hazardous areas must be over 18 years of age.
   2. Children between 13 to 15 years of age may, on occasion, do some light duties, providing it does not interfere with their education, development or safety.
   3. If there are children working in breach of these directions, the supplier will endeavour to make a plan for the provision of lost income to the child’s family and the transition of the child into education: see GPG policy on Young Workers and Child Labour in the Supply Chain
 
4. . No discrimination is practiced
   1. Suppliers must not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, gender, marital status, language, religion, political affiliation, caste, national or social origin, property, birth, union affiliation, sexual orientation, health status, family responsibilities, age and disability.
   2. Hiring, remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination, retirement or other employment practices should be based on objective and relevant criteria.
   3. Women and men workers shall be protected against discrimination on the basis of marital status
   4. Pregnancy tests or the use of contraception shall not be used as a condition of hiring or continued employment. Pregnancy tests shall not be demanded of employees. Voluntary pregnancy tests may be provided, but only at the request of the employee, and each such request must be documented
   5. Women workers shall be protected against threats of dismissal or any other employment decision that negatively affects their employment status in order to prevent them from getting married or becoming pregnant.
   6. Equal opportunities for women and men shall be provided in all aspects of training and personal and professional development.
   7. Workers with family responsibilities shall be protected against discrimination with regard to dismissal (see ILO Convention No. 156).
 
5. . No Harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
   1. All forms of violence and harassment in the workplace, including verbal, physical, sexual, or psychological abuse, are prohibited.
   2. Sexual harassment, including unwelcome sexual advances, unwanted hugs and touches, suggestive or lewd remarks, requests for sexual favours, or the display of indecent, derogatory, or pornographic pictures, posters, drawings, or videos, is prohibited.
   3. Sexual harassment in any form is not acceptable in the workplace or in any facilities related to the workplace, including transportation and dormitories.
   4. All workers are protected from retaliation for complaining about harassment.
   5. Security staff, doctors, nurses, managers, and other key personnel (where relevant) are regularly trained to recognize signs of gender-based violence and understand laws and organization policies on human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
   6. Employees will not be forced or pressured by the supplier to use contraception.
 
6. . Working hours are not excessive
   1. Working hours must comply with applicable legislation and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.
   2. Normal working hours must be clearly set out in a written contract, and must not exceed 48 hours per week. Overtime must be voluntary and compensated at a premium rate. Workers will not be required to work overtime on a regular basis.
   3. Workers must have at least 1 day off work each week, or 2 days off work each fortnight.
   4. Only in exceptional circumstances can working hours exceed 60 hours in any 7 day period, subject to the following criteria:
   5. This is allowed under applicable law;
   6. This is allowed in a collective agreement freely negotiated with a workers’ organisation (for example, a union);
   7. There are appropriate safeguards to protect workers’ health and safety; and
   8. The supplier can demonstrate exceptional circumstances such as an unexpected production peak, an accident or an emergency.
   9. Policies for the calculation of basic wages, overtime, bonuses, and payroll deductions must be the same for both men and women workers, and measures must be taken to ensure that all personnel understand these policies.
   10. Piece-rate work shall not be exempted from the right to overtime compensation
   11. The imposition of overtime where women or men workers are unable to leave the work premises or are in any way forced to accept it (through abuse, threats of dismissal, or other) is not allowed.
   12. Suppliers must comply with any working hour limits or other work restrictions for pregnant employees required by country law and take other reasonable measures to protect pregnant women from hazardous work, including restricted work hours as recommended by a licensed physician.
 
7. . Living wages are paid
   1. Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week must meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. Every worker, male or female, has a right to compensation for a regular work week that is sufficient to meet the worker’s basic needs (such as food, water, housing, healthcare, education, transport, and clothing) and provides some discretionary income for the workers and their families.
   2. Fair and comparable wages, hours, and benefits must be guaranteed to all workers—both women and men-- for comparable work.
   3. When homeworkers are used, all local laws and internationally recognized standards must be followed. At a minimum, hours and wages must be tracked and homeworkers must be guaranteed proper compensation and access to minimum social provisions, such as maternity and statutory social security protection.
   4. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted. Nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by the applicable national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures must be recorded.
 
8. . Regular employment is provided
   1. Every worker, male or female, shall be provided with written and understandable information about:
      1. Their employment conditions with respect to wages before they enter employment; and
      2. The particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time they are paid.
   2. Standard contract language shall be used with employment agencies that specifically imparts power to employers to directly pay wages to migrant/contract/contingent/temporary women and men workers and ensures equality of compensation and workplace standards.
   3. All legally mandated requirements for the protection or management of special categories of workers, including migrant, juvenile, contract/contingent/temporary, homeworking, pregnant, or disabled workers, are implemented
   4. 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, sub- contracting, 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.
   5. Women employees are entitled to maternity protection (leave and benefits as well as protection against discrimination) in accordance with the requirements of national laws and regulations or ILO Conventions Nos. 183, 103, and 3), whichever is higher.
   6. Childcare benefits and special leave or working time arrangements for workers with family responsibilities shall apply to both men and women.
 
9. . Working conditions are safe and hygienic
   1. Suppliers must provide a safe environment for women and men workers.
   2. Workers must have proper protective clothing and equipment, and be formally trained to perform the tasks to which they are assigned.
   3. Suppliers must implement written workplace health and safety policies. These policies must include safety incident reporting and accident investigation procedure.
   4. Suppliers must have systems in place to record worker illnesses and injuries.
   5. Access to basic healthcare services shall be ensured to workers in accordance with national law and international norms (including UDHR and CEDAW), recognizing gender differences and specifically facilitating services for migrants and their dependents who may face language or other social barriers to care.
   6. Reasonable actions should be taken (e.g., providing on-site clinics, a strong referral system, and external health providers) to ensure that workers have access to health services and insurance that serve the distinctive concerns and needs of women and men.
   7. Men and women workers engaged in working with hazardous materials will be informed of the potential risks to their reproductive health. To prevent unsafe exposure to hazardous chemicals and hazardous substances, appropriate accommodations shall be made for pregnant women.
   8. The number of toilets within reasonable distance of the workplace required under applicable laws shall be provided. The number of toilets shall also take into consideration the number of workers, privacy for each individual and gender, accessibility, and hygiene. Undue restrictions shall not be imposed on the time and frequency of toilet use.
   9. Workplace policies and practices shall be established to ensure that women -- and men—have the agency to take rest and water breaks and to take leave to see nonemergency services from on-site or off-site health service providers when needed.
   10. Flexible working arrangements and on-site facilities shall be offered to women who are pregnant or nursing.
 
10. . Environmentally friendly manufacturing
    1. Suppliers must comply with all relevant laws and regulations regarding the protection and preservation of the environment. This includes obtaining and maintaining all required environmental permits (e.g. discharge monitoring), approvals and registrations.
    2. Factories must also adhere to all applicable laws, regulations and customer requirements regarding specific substances that are restricted (or prohibited) by law or by General Pants. It is the Supplier’s responsibility to ensure that any factories used by the Supplier adheres to these requirements.
    3. Suppliers must eliminate or reduce waste by practices such as modifying production, improved maintenance, materials substitution, conservation, recycling and re-use of materials.
    4. Supplier must identify waste sources and develop a procedure for disposal.
    5. Hazardous wastes must be labelled and disposed of properly and in accordance with local legislation; Disposal records must be maintained.
    6. Training and correct PPE must be provided for employees in handling hazardous waste.
    7. Supplier must identify air emission sources and monitor the emission in accordance with regulatory requirements.
    8. Supplier must identify waste water discharge sources and monitor the emission in accordance with regulatory requirements; Supplier must demonstrate appropriate license or permit from appropriate local authority for waste water discharge
    9. Supplier must ensure that cotton is responsibly sourced from areas with no known human rights violations such as Uzbekistan.
    10. There appropriate, Supplier must prioritise and verify the use of more sustainable raw materials such as pre- or post-consumer recycled fibres or sustainable cotton alternatives such as Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)
    11. Supplier must seek alternative wet processes that reduce water, energy and chemical use and take responsibility for knowing where wet processes are taking place including laundries and tanneries. Code Implementation
    12. We will work closely with suppliers and factories on corrective action implementation for continuous improvement. Future business levels are directly affected by non-compliance to CAPs, so we will offer support and training to both suppliers and factories in order to help to resolve issues effectively and permanently.

Sub-Contractors

All sub-contractors must be approved by GENERAL PANTS prior to orders being placed. Please notify the production team regarding the style or process proposed for sub-contraction. All sub-contractors must be named by the primary supplier at initial engagement stage. Primary suppliers must submit a separate ‘SEDEX QUESTIONNAIRE’ for each sub-contractor, as well as the most recent social audit for each site that will be involved in production of GENERAL PANTS products. It is the full responsibility of the main supplier to initiate audits and to ensure that subsidiary sources are fully compliant with the GENERAL PANTS SUPPLIER CODE OF CONDUCT.

Raw Materials

Uzbekistan Cotton: GENERAL PANTS is a signatory to the Uzbek Cotton Pledge and prohibits the use of cotton grown in Uzbekistan to be used in our products. As a signatory to this pledge, we are stating our firm opposition to the use of child and adult forced labor in the harvest of Uzbek cotton. We prohibit the use of Uzbek cotton for the manufacturing of any of our products until the Government of Uzbekistan ends the practice of child and adult forced labor in its cotton sector. Until the elimination of this practice is independently verified by the International Labor Organization as well as determined by the Cotton Campaign, we will maintain this pledge.

Partial Factory List