As we hope you know, South Westerly’s purpose is to inspire business to benefit everybody by producing quality products, running a good business and nurturing good relationships with our people, suppliers, communities and planet.
To make sure we do this, we have created our code of conduct so that we can be clear about what you can expect from a relationship with us, and what we expect from you as a customer of our business.
Some elements of the code are non-negotiable (the prerequisites listed below). Others indicate a direction of travel and can be worked towards over time. Compliance with the code is expected from all customers.
We recognise that putting in place new social, environmental and sustainability metrics may not happen overnight. Acceptance of the code is a commitment on your behalf to work with us towards a more sustainable future. South Westerly will provide help and support wherever we can for example through helping to establish milestones or developing longer-term agreements to ensure continuous improvement.
All operations must be undertaken within the legal framework of the country of operation and comply with legal requirements in the country of use.
All discussions, shared data and knowledge will remain confidential between us at all times unless otherwise mutually agreed.
We really value our business relationships and welcome feedback either formally or informally. Six months into a new relationship and annually thereafter, we will ask you to share feedback with us so that we can celebrate the good stuff and work to fix stuff that’s not so great! All responses are treated confidentially (but it can help us to work on things if you tell us who you are!).
Prerequisites:
People:
Fairness: All employees whether permanent or contracted are expected to be treated with fairness and without being subjected to any form of discrimination or psychological, physical, sexual or verbal abuse or harassment.
All contact with South Westerly staff or associates will be conducted with respect and fairness at all times.
Child Labour: The use of child labour by any customer or its associates is strictly prohibited
Young Workers: If young employees are used they must not be subjected to any conditions that may harm physical, mental or emotional development.
Working Hours: All employees must work within local laws and mandatory standards to ensure that breaks, rest days, total hours, holiday etc. are fairly provided and managed.
Employment Practices: Only employees who are legally eligible to work may be employed in any capacity. All work shall be voluntary and workers must be free to leave work or terminate their employment after reasonable notice.
Employees must be provided with wages and benefits that, as a minimum, comply with all national legal requirements and must be enough to meet the basic needs of employees and their dependants.
We expect all Staff or Contractors to your business to have appropriate and easily accessible channels through which to express grievances or exchange views frankly and honestly.
These will be responded to or resolved within agreed timescales.
Modern Slavery: South Westerly is committed to ensuring that no part of its supply chain, or those that come into contact with it, benefit from activities connected with modern slavery. We expect our customers and connections to be taking appropriate steps to guard against modern slavery.
Workplace environment: All employees must have a safe and healthy working environment with adequate lighting, potable drinking water, risk protection and adequate PPE as required.
Crisis Management: A documented crisis plan must be in place to cover worker safety, emergency training and first aid as well as disaster recovery managing product availability, safety and welfare in the event of partial or total loss of facilities.
Product Safety: All products and services delivered by us must meet the quality, legal and safety standards required both by law and to comply with South Westerly’s requirements
South Westerly requires all customers to comply with all applicable ethical trading laws and regulations in the countries where materials are sourced, produced and delivered.
Written policies must be in place prohibiting bribery, corruption and similarly prohibited business practices.
Any conflict of interest that may affect the relationship between a customer and South Westerly must be declared and all intellectual property rights must be respected.
Customers must agree to reasonable requests for the sharing of information in a spirit of transparency.
We want to build a long-term relationship that enables us to enjoy shared prosperity in the future.
So as a customer of South Westerly you can expect the following:
We want to keep working will all of our customers in an open and honest partnership. We’d love to work with you to define and achieve your goals (we’re working on defining and achieving ours too!).
We hope this can be a way for us all to improve and grow and of course do always feel free to continue to give us a call if you ever need anything.