The supplier shall support and respect human rights
The Supplier shall ensure that it does not contribute, directly or indirectly, to violations of human rights as defined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). This also means that the Supplier must not fail to ask questions about human rights violations or take advantage of violations committed by others.
The Supplier shall have procedures in place to regularly assess the risk that the Supplier, through its activities, contributes to human rights violations and to address any risks. This work requires that the person responsible for compliance with the Code of Conduct has appropriate knowledge of human rights. If the Supplier is uncertain about what this entails, it shall contact Lammhults Design Group for clarification.
No form of child labor may occur
Child labour refers to any economic activity performed by a person of compulsory school age or younger. No worker shall be under the age of 15 (or 14 if permitted under national legislation), or below the minimum legal working age if that age exceeds 15 years. Young persons between the ages of 15 and 18 may only perform non-hazardous work, if they have reached the legal minimum age for employment and have completed compulsory education as required by national law. Where young persons between the ages of 15 and 18 are employed, the permitted (non-hazardous) tasks shall be clearly defined and documented in a policy. The exception permitting a minimum working age of 14 for non-hazardous work applies only in countries where the age for completion of compulsory education is below 15 years and where such employment is permitted under national legislation. Persons under the age of 18 shall not work at night or be exposed to hazardous working conditions. Child labour also includes any activity or work that is harmful to the intellectual, physical, social or moral development of a person under the age of 18, or that interferes with education by preventing school attendance, requiring premature withdrawal from school, or obliging a child to combine school attendance with work.
If child labour is identified, the Supplier shall act in the best interests of the child and seek appropriate, long-term solutions in consultation with the child and the child’s family, with the aim of enabling the child to continue participating in formal education. The Supplier shall develop, participate in, or contribute to policies and programmes that enable the child to attend and remain in education until the child is no longer considered a child.
No form of forced labor may occur
Forced labour means any work or service that is exacted from a person under the threat of penalty or similar coercion and that is not undertaken voluntarily. No form of forced labour shall be permitted, including slavery, servitude, human trafficking, debt bondage, or any other form of coercive labour. The confiscation or retention of passports, identity documents, money, or other personal belongings as a condition of employment shall not be permitted. Workers shall not be required to pay recruitment fees or other fees to obtain employment and shall not be subjected to debt bondage to the Supplier or to recruitment agencies. All work shall be voluntary, and workers shall have the right to terminate their employment after providing reasonable notice in accordance with applicable national legislation.
No form of discrimination or harassment may occur
The Supplier shall promote diversity and equal opportunities in its operations and ensure that all workers are treated with respect and enjoy a safe working environment. No form of discrimination or harassment shall occur within the Supplier’s operations.
Discrimination means any distinction, exclusion or preferential treatment of workers that is not based on merit, qualifications or job-related requirements, but instead results in unequal treatment on unjustifiable grounds. Discrimination based on ethnic origin, race, caste, gender, age, marital status, pregnancy, religion, social or ethnic background, nationality, disability, political opinion, trade union membership or activity, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law shall not be permitted.
Harassment refers to verbal or non-verbal treatment that is unwanted and violates someone’s dignity, including sexual harassment or any other form of psychological or physical punishment. Harassment shall not be permitted within the Supplier’s operations.
The prohibition of discrimination applies throughout the employment relationship, including recruitment, compensation and benefits, access to training, promotion, termination of employment, and retirement.
Physical abuse or corporal punishment, threats of physical abuse, sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, verbal abuse, and any form of intimidation, coercion, or bullying shall not be tolerated.
To prevent discrimination and harassment within its operations, the Supplier shall regularly conduct appropriate risk assessments. The risk assessments should be reviewed regularly, including by assessing any shortcomings in relation to the requirements of this Code.
Ensure freedom of association and collective bargaining
The Supplier shall recognise and respect the right of workers to freely organise themselves into trade unions and participate in collective bargaining without risk of retaliation, threats or harassment. The Supplier shall ensure that trade union representatives can perform their duties in the workplace and shall not permit any form of retaliation or discrimination against workers who are trade union members. Where freedom of association is restricted by law, the Supplier shall facilitate opportunities for workers to meet with management to discuss wages and working conditions without adverse consequences.
The Supplier shall adopt an open and constructive approach towards the activities of trade unions and workers’ organisations and shall respect workers’ right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted by law, the Supplier shall facilitate, and not hinder, the development of alternative forms of independent and freely chosen worker representation and negotiation.
Ensure lawful wages and working hours
We follow the UN Global Compact’s recommendations regarding wages and working hours.
The supplier’s employees shall have:
- Working hours that comply with national legislation, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and this Code, whichever provides the greatest protection for the worker.
- Overtime that complies with national legislation or recognised industry standards and is used responsibly with regard to its extent, frequency, and the number of hours worked. Where no relevant legislation exists, overtime shall always be voluntary. Overtime shall not be used as a substitute for regular employment and shall be compensated at a premium rate; remuneration of at least 125 per cent of the worker’s ordinary wage is recommended.
- Written employment contracts in a language they understand, containing a description of their duties, working hours, wages, and leave.
- Right to statutory leave, including sick leave and parental leave, in accordance with national legislation.
- Right to at least one day off per week. Weekly working hours may not exceed the statutory limit or 60 hours per week, including overtime.
- Right to breaks during the working day.
- Right to statutory overtime pay. This shall be clearly specified on the payslip.
Wages shall be paid regularly, directly to the worker, in full and on time. Wage deductions as a disciplinary measure are not permitted. The above principles also apply to individuals engaged by the Supplier under arrangements comparable to employment, such as temporary agency workers and consultants. However, the Supplier shall endeavour to ensure that workers are employed under recognised forms of employment in accordance with applicable legislation. The Supplier shall work towards providing workers with a living wage and shall, under no circumstances, pay less than the applicable statutory national or local minimum wage. Wages and benefits for a standard working week shall, at a minimum, meet the highest applicable standard under national law, collective bargaining agreements, or relevant industry benchmarks. In all cases, the Supplier shall strive to ensure that wages are sufficient to meet basic needs and provide a degree of discretionary income.
Employment shall, to the greatest extent possible, be based on a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice. Obligations to workers under labour and social security laws and regulations shall not be avoided through labour-only contracting arrangements, subcontracting, homeworking, apprenticeship schemes without a genuine purpose of imparting skills or providing regular employment, or through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts.
Before commencing employment, all workers shall receive written information, in a language they understand, regarding their terms and conditions of employment, including their wages. For each pay period, workers shall also receive clear and understandable information regarding their pay. Deductions from wages that are not required by national law may only be made with the express consent of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures shall be documented.
Ensure a safe and hygienic working environment
The Supplier shall ensure that workers have a safe and hygienic working environment and are protected from conditions that may pose a risk to their physical or mental health. The Supplier shall conduct risk assessments and implement preventive measures to minimise the risk of injury and ill health, with particular attention to identified risk factors and hazardous machinery and equipment. Injuries shall be reported and documented. Workers shall receive training on the health and safety risks associated with their work, including fire safety, hazardous work and first aid. The Supplier shall provide appropriate personal protective equipment and ensure that written health and safety information is accessible in the workplace, at no cost to the worker.
Occupational health and safety training shall be provided on a regular basis and shall be documented. Such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers where their duties differ from their previous responsibilities.
Workers shall have access to clean toilet facilities and safe drinking water, as well as hygienic facilities for the storage of food where relevant.
Responsibility for occupational health and safety shall be assigned to a representative of senior management.
All chemicals shall be handled safely. Information on chemicals and their safe handling shall be made available to all relevant personnel in a language they understand. All containers containing chemicals shall be correctly labelled with the necessary information. Emergency procedures shall be in place to address spills and leaks. The Supplier shall maintain written procedures for managing chemical risks and shall continuously evaluate and monitor such risks. Where risks cannot be eliminated, the Supplier shall provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment and implement appropriate protective measures in the workplace.
The Supplier shall ensure that the workplace is equipped with the necessary fire protection equipment, such as emergency exits, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and fire blankets. Emergency exits shall be clearly marked and illuminated and shall not be blocked. Evacuation drills and fire alarm tests shall be carried out regularly.
No form of physical punishment is permitted for disciplinary purposes.
Workers and their trade union representatives shall be consulted on matters relating to occupational health and safety.
Where accommodation is provided to workers, it shall provide adequate privacy, quiet and facilities for personal hygiene.
Any accommodation provided by the Supplier shall be clean, safe, and suitable for meeting workers’ basic needs.
Reducing environmental impact
The Supplier shall conduct its operations with consideration for the environment and comply with local and national environmental legislation. The Supplier shall ensure that its operations hold and comply with all applicable environmental permits. By having written procedures for identifying, measuring, and following up on its environmental impact, the Supplier shall work to continuously improve its environmental performance and minimise its energy and resource consumption as well as emissions (to land, water, and air). Consideration shall also be given to the environmental impact, as well as the impact on people, when choosing materials. The precautionary principle shall be applied throughout the Supplier’s operations. The Supplier shall also have a chemical management system and work proactively to minimise and phase out hazardous substances in products and production.
The Supplier shall strive for a life cycle perspective regarding the environmental impact of products and services and shall impose environmental requirements on its sub-suppliers. This means that the Supplier shall consciously strive to use as much recycled material as possible in products and packaging. The waste generated shall be disposed of in a systematic and environmentally sound manner that enables maximum recycling and reuse.
The Supplier shall promote climate action that contributes to the achievement of national and international climate goals.
The use of virgin raw materials shall be reduced through the continuous optimisation of material use, increased recycling and reuse, minimisation of waste, and the development of offerings and solutions that support a circular economy.
Raw materials derived from species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), or classified as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, shall not be used.
The use of chemicals shall be controlled and regularly evaluated. Where applicable, substitution and/or alternative processes shall be implemented to reduce risks to human health and the environment and to improve resource efficiency.
Waste shall be stored, handled, transported, and disposed of in a manner that protects the health and safety of workers, surrounding communities, and the environment. Strategies for efficient water use shall be promoted where relevant.
The Supplier shall ensure that neither its own operations nor its supply chain contribute to unlawful eviction, the unlawful acquisition of land, forests or water resources, the deprivation of people’s livelihoods or their right to freely use natural resources, or any other severe adverse environmental impact that may affect, for example, access to drinking water, food production or other basic services.
All peoples have the right to self-determination and to freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources. No people shall be deprived of its own means of subsistence.
The Supplier shall respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights to the lands, territories, and natural resources that they have traditionally owned, occupied, used, or otherwise acquired. This includes the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
The Supplier shall respect the right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. This right is an integral part of the full enjoyment of the rights to life, health, food, water, and sanitation.
Ensure good business ethics and combat all forms of corruption
The Supplier’s operations shall be conducted in accordance with good business practice, promote free competition, and maintain high ethical standards. No form of corruption, abuse of power, bribery, or money laundering is permitted. The Supplier shall not directly or indirectly offer or give improper payments or other compensation to any person or organisation for the purpose of obtaining, retaining, or directing business or gaining any other improper advantage within the scope of its operations. The Supplier shall not directly or indirectly request or accept any form of improper payment or other compensation from third parties that could affect the objectivity of business decisions.
The Supplier shall maintain written procedures for preventing, identifying and addressing corruption.
The prohibition of corruption and unethical business conduct also extends to embezzlement, trading in influence, abuse of office, illicit enrichment, money laundering of the proceeds of crime, handling of stolen goods, and obstruction of justice. The Supplier shall not enter into agreements intended to distort competition or abuse a dominant market position.
The Supplier shall refrain from engaging in tax arrangements where there is uncertainty as to whether the arrangement complies with applicable law, and from tax planning practices that exploit weaknesses in tax legislation to artificially shift profits to jurisdictions with low or no taxation.
Workers shall receive regular training on business ethics. Such training shall also be provided to new workers and to workers who are reassigned to roles with different responsibilities.
Confidential information relating to Lammhults Design Group or Lammhults Design Group’s customers’ operations may only be used for the purpose for which it is intended. The Supplier shall have clear procedures for handling confidential information relating to Lammhults Design Group and shall ensure that such information is not disclosed to or accessed by unauthorised persons. All confidential information shall be handled with appropriate care in the course of day-to-day operations. If there is any suspicion that information about Lammhults Design Group has fallen into the hands of unauthorised persons, the Supplier is obliged to contact Lammhults Design Group immediately and take measures to limit the damage.
