Retail giant Coles Group has adopted an ethical sourcing code, in line with major US and European retailing standards, to protect clothing and footwear workers from exploitation.
The social compliance program, implemented at the end of 2005, and pay.
With large offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Coles aims to ensure ethically produced goods, such as clothes and footwear, some sporting goods and accessories.
Some merchandise goes to its businesses, Kmart and Target.
Coles will restrict business to suppliers who meet fair, safe products and services.
right now," says Jill Moodie, corporate social responsibility manager at Coles.
Yet, she also admits it's a steep learning curve.
of workers are respected. We are ensuring the products we buy come from factories that are socially compliant.
"
The code, which applies to Coles' manufacturers and suppliers in Australia and overseas, ensures factories are audited according to There are about 92 different criteria, including employment practices, such as child labour, living wages, working hours, forced labour, discrimination, disciplinary action and the freedom of association.
In the workplace, health and safety, equipment safety and the are regulated and monitored, while management must comply with local laws, and environmental and ethical standards.
risk associated with various parts of the business," Moodie says.
"The current focus is on Coles' biggest importer, China, but it will extend to other countries from which Coles buys.
improve the lot of the workers in these areas. We have worked with our top 100 suppliers, a great percentage of our business, and we've approved a number of factories.
We've had a couple of zero tolerance violations but those have been rectified. " A corrective action plan is also in place for minor and critical violations.
"The whole idea behind the code is continuous improvement, businesses.
"
work, failure to pay overtime premiums, unclear wage-systems reporting and health and safety issues.
following steps to correct a situation.
safety are in place.
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