Our Code of Conduct
At Fruit of the Loom and our affiliated companies (the "Corporation"), we are committed to conducting business in accordance with the highest standards of business ethics and respect for human rights and the environment. We require our suppliers, licensees, distributors and other business partners to meet these high standards, and, at the most basic level, this means that all such business partners must operate in compliance with the requirements of applicable laws, regulations, and treaties. While we recognize that different cultural, legal and ethical systems exist in the countries in which merchandise may be manufactured, this Code of Conduct sets forth certain fundamental requirements that must be satisfied by all facilities that supply our products, including internal plants, contractors, licensees or other business partners (collectively referred to in this Code of Conduct as "Suppliers").
Our code of conduct is available as a PDF dowload in the following translations:
Employment Relationship
Suppliers will adopt and adhere to rules and conditions of employment that respect workers and, at a minimum, safeguard their rights under national and international labor and social security laws and regulations.
Safety and Health
Suppliers will provide a safe and healthy workplace setting to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of Supplier's operations. Conditions throughout a Supplier's facility must be safe, clean and meet or exceed requirements of all applicable laws and regulations regarding safety and health. Workers must be trained and equipped to perform their jobs safely.
Child Labor
Suppliers will not employ individuals in violation of the local mandatory school age or under the applicable legal employment age. In no event will Suppliers employ workers under age 15, except for child actors or models that are utilized in advertising or media, and then only in compliance with applicable child labor regulations.
Forced Labor
Suppliers will not use forced labor, including, but not limited to, prison labor, indentured or slave labor, or bonded labor, and will adopt measures to ensure that facilities are not utilized in human trafficking.
Harassment or Abuse
Suppliers must treat all employees with respect and dignity. Suppliers will have procedures in place to ensure that no worker is subject to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal abuse.
Non-Discrimination
Suppliers will not discriminate in employment including hiring, compensation, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, political opinion, social group, or ethnic origin.
Working Hours
Suppliers will not require workers to work more than the regular and overtime hours allowed by applicable law. In no event will the regular work week exceed 48 hours and workers will be allowed at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every seven-day period. All overtime work will be consensual. Suppliers will not request overtime on a regular basis and will compensate for overtime work at a premium rate. Other than in exceptional circumstances, the sum of regular and overtime hours in a week will not exceed 60 hours.
Compensation
Every worker has a right to compensation for a regular work week that is sufficient to meet the worker’s basic needs and provide some discretionary income. Suppliers will pay at least the minimum wage or the appropriate prevailing wage, whichever is higher, comply with all legal requirements on wages, and provide any fringe benefits required by law or contract. Where compensation does not meet workers' basic needs and provide some discretionary income, Suppliers will work with the Fair Labor Association to take appropriate actions that seek to progressively realize a level of compensation that does. Suppliers may not use deductions from wages or other monetary fines as a disciplinary practice.
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
Suppliers must recognize and respect the rights of workers to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
Environmental Sustainability
Suppliers will adopt responsible measures to mitigate the negative impact that their operations have on the environment. At a minimum, this requires that Suppliers comply with all local and applicable international laws protecting the environment, including proper storage and disposal of hazardous substances, and strive to conduct business in a manner that minimizes energy consumption and waste, optimizes the use of natural resources, and maximizes recycling.
Subcontractors
Suppliers will not utilize subcontractors in the manufacturing of the Corporation's products or components without our prior written approval and only after the subcontractor has agreed to comply with this Code of Conduct.
Customs Compliance
Suppliers will comply with all applicable customs laws and establish and maintain programs to safeguard against the illegal transshipment of products.
Security
Suppliers will maintain security procedures to guard against the introduction of non-manifested cargo (e.g., drugs and other contraband) into shipments of the Corporation' s products, including, but not limited to, compliance with Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) requirements for shipments to the United States.
Posting Requirements
Suppliers will post this Code of Conduct in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees and visitors (in the appropriate local language and the appropriate language for migrant workers that make up more than 10% of the workforce). Suppliers will communicate and train all workers annually concerning the elements of this Code of Conduct.
Record Keeping
Suppliers will maintain complete and accurate records with respect to each of the elements of this Code of Conduct to allow for verification of compliance.
Enforcement
The Corporation employs internal, as well as independent auditors, to conduct on-site inspections to ensure compliance with this Code of Conduct. Detailed compliance records are maintained on all facilities.
Violations
To report suspected violations of this Code of Conduct, contact the Corporation' s Human Resources department at +270-781-6400, ext.2041, or e-mail at csr@fruit.com. We strictly prohibit any retaliation against persons that report violations of this Code of Conduct or assist or participate in any manner in any investigation of possible violations of this Code of Conduct. Any retaliation should be reported to the Corporation as outlined above.