Did you know?
What is a supply chain?
A supply chain is the movement of products to the consumer, going through the process from sourcing materials to manufacturing and then getting it to the retailer and then finally to the consumer. It comes from the raw material which the company should be sourcing ethically then to the manufacturer, the retailer then the consumer.
Ethically sourcing?
Retailers are supposed to source their materials 'ethically' in order to comply with the ETI basecode. In order to ethically source materials they need to source materials from a supplier that promotes the fact that they follow the ETI basecode. This means that the supplier of the product and supplier of the raw materials would be following the ETI basecode and not breaking it. To break the ETI basecode the company would have to e.g. not promote child labour- using children to work in the factories..
By doing that they would be breaking the ETI basecode, child labour is also illegal.
What are the ETI basecodes?
There are 9 main ETI basecodes which companies are required to follow such as;
Employment is chosen freely ( meaning that people are allowed to choose whether they want to work or not)
Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
Working conditions are safe and hygienic
Child labour should not be used
Living wages are paid
Working ours are not excessive
No discrimination is practised
Regular employment is provided
No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
A retailer who follows these ETI basecodes and also another 3 more is Sainsbury's which are
Entitled to work (only people with a legal right to work in that country should be employed)
Labour Agencies (labour agencies should only supply workers registered with them)
Protection of the environment