OUR RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE GLOBE
TODAY AND TOMORROW
At North Bend we love everything to do with sports and an active life. We therefore believe it's only right that we take responsibility for, and safeguard, not only the environment but also animal and human rights, in order to help towards developing a sustainable society.
CHILD LABOUR
One of the items in the code of conduct refers to zero tolerance to child labour. We don't just demand that all our suppliers follow national laws, but also to fully respect the UN's convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically including guidelines concerning children's education, health and social development.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Our policy also includes detailed demands for always prioritizing workers’ health and safety. Equipment or buildings that pose a threat to workers’ safety are not acceptable, and trained personnel and clear routines for first aid must be communicated throughout the entire company. All employees must also be paid a reasonable wage and the legislated working hours must always be respected. Furthermore, discrimination and the right to parental leave are also regulated in this legally-binding document.
ENVIRONMENT
The Swedish Environment Code’s aim is “to promote sustainable development which will assure a healthy and sound environment for present and future generations” (Chap 1 para 1) and is the basis of our desire for a better environment. We therefore demand that our suppliers always strive towards cutting any possible environmental impact throughout the entire production chain. Furthermore, all transport and haulage companies used must be ISO 14001 certified.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Following Swedish laws and regulations is only natural to us, but we do not stop there. As a relatively small player in the global arena we cannot singlehandedly implement any revolutionary changes, therefor we have joined the BSCI initiative. As a member we commit to implementing the BSCI code within our supply chain in a step-by-step development approach. We believe that we are stronger together!
The BSCI Code of Conduct sets out 11 core labour rights:
• The Rights of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
• Fair Remuneration
• No Child Labour
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Special Protection for Young Workers
• No Bonded Labour
• Ethical Business Behaviour
• No Discrimination
• Decent Working Hours
• No Precarious Employment
• Protection of the Environment
More information about the BSCI initiative can be found at www.bsci-intl.org
ANIMAL RIGHTS POLICY
Our aim is to always respect animal rights and we actively work towards these rights being met throughout the entire production and supply chain. North Bend has clearly committed itself in not allowing the use of mulesing in the production of merino wool, not accepting feathers and down plucked from live animals and not selling products made from animal fur. We have also joined Animal Rights Sweden to clearly show that we are on the animals’ side. More information about the fur-free list can be found at www.djurensrätt.se.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT
To improve the lifespan of our textiles, we always analyse new products so that we choose the right qualities and right solutions. We do this so the clothing lasts as long as possible. Fit, function and quality are things we will never compromise on.
We are members of Swerea’s Kemikaliegruppen (The Swedish Research Chemical Group) to ensure that we get the right information concerning chemical requirements for the textiles industry. Kemikaliegruppen’s job is to inform member companies about current chemical and environment-related issues, including legal requirements.
Find out more at www.kemikaliegruppen.se