WE FOCUS ON LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS

JUST BE RESPECTFUL

Before PME Legend, Vanguard or Cast Iron products find their way into stores, a lot of hands will have quite literally been involved in producing these beautiful, high-quality and well-finished items. The working conditions of the people who contribute to our collections are therefore one of the highest priorities for Just Brands.

The textile industry is characterized at many levels by a labor-intensive production chain: we work with companies in different countries with different cultures and have suppliers in different fields, who employ people from various layers of society. All these people are an extension of Just Brands. Even though we do not own the companies in the production chain with which we work, we focus on ensuring that everyone involved in our process has a safe and fair working environment.

Before we start working with a manufacturer, they first sign a Service Level Agreement that also includes our Responsible Business Conduct policy. This describes what we mean by corporate social responsibility and what we expect from manufacturers. 

Risk analysis

To monitor the working conditions in our production chain, we work from macro to micro level.

We conduct ongoing research into risks in our production chains and our own business operations and try to prevent and reduce their consequences and, where necessary, stimulate improvement. In the past year, in addition to developing our own policy, we have also conducted risk analyses. In an international chain, it is essential to be aware of the possible risks involved. The process of 'Due Diligence' is central to this.

To monitor the working conditions in our production chain, we work from macro to micro level: first we analyze the risks of the countries where we produce and then look further at regional level. We subsequently investigate the circumstances at our manufacturers and analyze the risks on the basis of audit reports. Through discussions with the manufacturers, we map out specific risks for our production chain. In addition, we are in contact with local stakeholders to signal risks that are discovered and to discuss them directly with our manufacturers and partners.

AMFORI BSCI Code of Conduct

The AMFORI BSCI Code of Conduct consists of guidelines for managing the working conditions at manufacturers.

The protection of workers' rights is of great importance to us. As a partner of the AMFORI BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), we follow the AMFORI BSCI Code of Conduct, which is based on international labor standards as established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).  This code of conduct contains 11 fundamental labor rights that we implement step-by-step, together with our partners.

AMFORI BSCI Code of Conduct

Derde partij audits

Iedere fabrikant dient te beschikken over een geldig audit report voor het monitoren van de arbeidsomstandigheden.

Every manufacturer must have a valid audit report for monitoring working conditions. At the start of every collaboration with a factory, we expect that they commit to the AMFORI BSCI Code of Conduct and that they also implement it towards their suppliers. To monitor this commitment, regular audits (checks) are performed in the factories by a third party. A score is awarded depending on the performance of the factory. 

AMFORI also offers workshops to the manufacturers. In addition to encouraging them to follow these workshops, Just Brands supports manufacturers in setting up an improvement plan. 

We have started to perform the audits in the first layer of the production chain (garment factories), because this is the most labor-intensive link in the production chain and therefore automatically involves the most workers. We have now started to roll out this process step-by-step to deeper layers in the production chain (washing, printing and dyeing of the product) at our manufacturers. 

Just Brands remains informed of the risks in the production countries and matches said risks with the audit reports. After which, we support the manufacturers in achieving constant improvements.