ENVIRONMENTAL AND ETHICAL PURCHASING POLICY

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

BRANDED Ltd (BRANDED) fully accepts its responsibility to carry out its purchasing activities in an environmentally responsible manner. The aim of the Environmental Purchasing Policy is to prompt staff involved in the procurement of goods and services to use environmental responsibility as a factor in their purchasing decisions.

Working within EU and UK procurement law as well as the requirement to secure best value we will:

Ensure that we only buy goods and services that are truly necessary.
Encourage upgrade, reuse, repair and recycling of products.
Specify equipment which is water and energy efficient both in its manufacture and operation.
Avoid the use of hazardous chemicals where a less damaging alternative is appropriately available.
Encourage the purchase of goods containing recycled materials.
Minimise the use of virgin non-renewable natural resources and support the use of sustainable sources.
Consider climate change mitigation and adaptation in procurement.
Ensure goods are transported by lowest impact methods
Ensure any building or construction projects are sustainably planned.

To achieve our objectives, we will:

Work with our suppliers to investigate and introduce environmentally friendly processes
and products.
Ensure our existing and potential suppliers are aware of and understand our corporate environmental policies.
Regularly review our procurement for categories of spend which pose the significant environmental risks.
Specify, wherever possible and reasonably practicable, the use of environmentally friendly materials and products, particularly in contracts where significant environmental risks have been identified.
Ensure that consideration is given to inclusion, within all specifications, of a facility for potential suppliers to submit prices for alternatives which help us to implement this environmental procurement policy.
Ensure that appropriate consideration is given to the costs and benefits of environmentally friendly alternatives.
Ensure that suppliers’ environmental credentials are considered in the supplier appraisal process, particularly in contracts where significant environmental risks have been identified.
Ensure that where appropriate, environmental criteria are included in the award of contracts.
Monitor the performance of our environmental purchasing and seek continual improvement.
Provide appropriate training to managers and procurement staff to implement this environmental procurement policy.
Ensure the policy is continually updated in response to changes in information, policy and legislation and is reviewed annually.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

BRANDED has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and is committed to ensuring the highest standard of ethical trading, integrity and transparency within its supply chain. This means sourcing products and services in a responsible manner, engaging with suppliers to improve their working practices and providing clear buying processes to ensure that these high standards
are maintained.

BRANDED is committed to implementing effective systems and controls to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere within either its own business or in
any of its supply chains, consistent with its obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

The Company also expects the same high standards from all its suppliers, contractors and other business partners and, as part of its contracting processes, it includes specific prohibitions against the use of modern slavery and expects that its suppliers will in turn hold their own suppliers to the same standards.

This Policy is a core element of our commitment to buy and sell our products responsibly. BRANDED takes active steps to ensure suppliers comply with our Ethical Trading Policy, which is drawn from the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and the fundamental conventions of the Internal Labour Organisation (ILO).

In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, our parent company, Writtle, will publish an annual Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement. In order to provide this statement, BRANDED will require annual certification with this policy from all key suppliers.

SUPPLIER REQUIREMENT

BRANDED will not knowingly engage in business with suppliers who do not comply with the following conditions. These conditions apply equally to direct suppliers and their supply chain.

EMPLOYMENT SHALL BE FREELY CHOSEN

Suppliers must not use any form of slave, compulsory, coerced, forced or involuntary labour.
Suppliers must not require workers to lodge deposits or leave their identity papers with their employer after reasonable notice.
Suppliers must not arrange or facilitate the travel of workers with a view to exploiting them.

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
ARE RESPECTED

Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and, where national law allows, to bargain collectively.

WORKING CONDITIONS ARE SAFE AND HYGIENIC

A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.
Suppliers are responsible for the provision of personal protective equipment if applicable
and must ensure that workers are properly trained in the use of this equipment.
Workers’ life or health must not be endangered due to the inappropriate use of dangerous machinery, unsafe building structure or layout or hazardous chemicals.
Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.
Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of
the workers.

CHILD LABOUR SHALL NOT BE USED

Suppliers must not employ workers under the minimum legal working age of the country
in question.
Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.

LIVING WAGES ARE PAID

Suppliers must ensure that wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet,
at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.
Suppliers must ensure that workers are provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions in respect to wages prior to or upon engagement.

WORKING HOURS ARE NOT EXCESSIVE

Suppliers must ensure that working hours must comply with national laws, worker’s hours should not be excessive and adequate rest periods should be provided.
Suppliers must maintain accurate employment records including calculation of pay and hours worked and must cooperate with any request for inspection of the same.

NO DISCRIMINATION IS PRACTISED

Suppliers must ensure that there is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement.
based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

NO HARSH OR INHUMANE TREATMENT IS ALLOWED

Workers must not be subject to physical or verbal abuse, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment or any other form of intimidation or inhuman treatment.

ENTITLEMENT TO WORK

Only workers with a legal right to work in the country should be employed by the supplier.

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

Recruitment agencies should only supply workers who are registered with them. The recruitment agency must provide full transparency of its recruitment supply chain, including written details of the use of any sub-contractors or sub agents and the terms of engagement between the agency and its sub agents.
Relationships with recruitment agencies should be covered by a written term of business which encompasses all national legislation, the services that the recruitment agency will provide, and the hiring process(es) adopted.