Supplier Code of Conduct
1. Introduction
At Foremost Furniture Ltd we pride ourselves on being an honest and reputable company, operating with integrity in everything that we do, and complying with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. We recognise the importance of our supply chain and view them as an extension of our own company. It is important that our suppliers share our commitments as detailed below. Our Supplier Code of Conduct covers, suppliers, sub-contractors and consultants engaged to provide goods and services to Foremost Furniture Ltd. We reserve the right to carry out a detailed assessment for new and existing suppliers to ensure that they comply with our Supplier Code of Conduct.
2. Laws and Regulations
Suppliers will comply with all applicable local and national laws, rules, regulations and requirements in the provision of products and services manufactured and supplied by Foremost Furniture Ltd. This includes compliance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Core Conventions. It is the supplier’s responsibility to maintain and enforce these standards within its own supply chain.
3. Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest must be avoided (financial or otherwise). This can be damaging to our business and work against the principles of ethical and fair treatment.
Suppliers must declare any engagement between its personnel and Foremost Furniture Ltd employees that may appear to create a conflict of interest that could affect a Foremost Furniture Ltd employee’s judgement and conflict with Foremost Furniture Ltd.’s interests. Examples are where a supplier’s employee has a family or personal relationship with Foremost Furniture Ltd employee – that may represent a conflict of interest.
4. Anti-Bribery and Corruption
Foremost Furniture Ltd is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity within our business activities in the UK and overseas. As such, we require suppliers to have in place adequate procedures for preventing and prohibiting bribery or corruption, in accordance with the Bribery Act 2010. Under no circumstances do we offer or accept bribes or improper inducements to secure business or to gain any advantage for the company or individual employees.
Foremost Furniture Ltd permits corporate entertainment, gifts, hospitality and promotional expenditure that is undertaken within the UK or overseas for the purposes of establishing or maintaining good business relationships; to improve the image and reputation of the company; or to present the company’s goods/services effectively. However; it must be demonstrated that the activity has been arranged in good faith and not offered, promised or accepted to secure an advantage for the company or to influence the impartiality of the recipient.
5. Confidential Information
Suppliers have a responsibility to handle, keep, transmit and process confidential information safely and securely and only for the purposes permitted under contract with Foremost Furniture Ltd. Suppliers must not disclose Foremost Furniture Ltd.’s information to third parties unless permitted to do so by Foremost Furniture Ltd.
Suppliers working on behalf of Foremost Furniture Ltd. as a consultant, subcontractor or an employee on a short-term contract, will be required to read and comply with all policies, standards and procedures set out by Foremost Furniture Ltd.
6. Data Privacy
Suppliers are expected to adhere to all applicable data protection and information security laws and regulations for the UK, and ensure that Foremost Furniture Ltd and our client’s personal data is processed in the following way:
• Personal data is treated as strictly confidential
• Data is not to be used other than to provide services to us
• Implementation and maintaining appropriate security measures to protect our personal data
7. Workplace Health and Safety and Hygiene
Suppliers must adhere to all relevant health and safety legislation and standards. A safe and hygienic working environment must be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and any specific hazards. All employees should receive regular health and safety training, and suppliers will ensure that suitable health and safety policies, risk assessments and procedures are in place and communicated to employees.
Suppliers are expected to provide access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage.
8. Employment is Freely Chosen
Suppliers will not use, or tolerate within their supply chain any forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour and ensure that employees are not required to lodge deposits or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employment after reasonable notice.
9. Child Labour
Suppliers must ensure that no child labour will be used and the relevant policies and procedures are in place that conform to provisions of the relevant International Labour Organisations (ILO) standards.
10. Living Wages are Paid
Suppliers must ensure that wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, as a minimum, meet national legal standards or industry bench mark standards, whichever is higher. Wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and provide some discretionary income.
11. Working Hours
Suppliers must ensure that working hours comply with national laws, collective agreements and are based on international labour standards, that all overtime is voluntary and that employees are provided with at least one day off in every 7-day period or, where allowed by national law, 2 days in every 14-day period.
12. Freedom of Association
Suppliers’ employees without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing, and to bargain collectively. Employee representatives will not be discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.
13. Equality and Diversity
Foremost Furniture Ltd is committed to removing unfair and discriminatory practices within our company and to encourage full contribution from its diverse community. Suppliers must ensure that there is no discrimination based on race, colour, ethnic or national origins, martial status, family circumstances, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, political or religious belief, union membership or political affiliation.
14. Harassment
Every employee has the right to work in an environment free form harassment and intimidation. We have a zero tolerance to harassment and intimidation. We expect our suppliers to treat their employees with dignity and respect and ensure that physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation are strictly prohibited. Policies and training should be made available to all employees.
15. Disciplinary and Grievance
Suppliers must have written disciplinary and grievance rules and procedures in place. Disciplinary rules must state what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in the workplace and what action you will take if the rules are broken. In the case of grievances, there must be a grievance mechanism in place to enable employees to raise workplace concerns anonymously.
Documents and procedures must be clearly documented and communicated to all employees
16. Environment and Sustainability
Foremost Furniture believes that businesses are responsible for achieving good environmental practice and operating in a sustainable manner.
We recognise that our activities have an impact on the environment in terms of the use of raw materials, emissions to air and water and waste generation.
We are therefore committed to reducing our environmental impact and continually improving our environmental performance as an integral and fundamental part of our business strategy and operating methods.
It is our priority to encourage our customers, suppliers and all business associates to do the same. Not only is this sound commercial sense for all; it is also a matter of delivering on our duty of care towards future generations.
Suppliers must have clear procedures in place to ensure direct and indirect environmental impacts associated with the goods and services are understood, measured and managed and must comply with all applicable environmental rules and regulations. Suppliers should also train their employees, and where requested, provide information and policies concerning environmental and sustainable issues.
17. Reporting Concerns (Whistleblowing)
We actively encourage our employees, suppliers and customers to follow our guidance as set out in our whistleblowing policy should there be any claim or indication of violation of this policy. Foremost Furniture Ltd will take prompt, remedial measures to address the violation.
If you would like to report a concern, please contact us on 01706 218150 and ask to speak to a director of the company, and your concern will then be dealt with in confidence.