Ethical policy
ETHICAL STATEMENT
ACRA believes that business should be conducted with total respect for people and the environment. We adopt a rigorous selection process for garment manufacturers, ensuring only those that are totally committed to exceeding our high ethical standards become appointed suppliers.
We have never purchased from a supplier that we haven’t vetted and approved.
We do not own our factories and choose instead to build strong working relationships with carefully selected suppliers.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
We recognise that our business activities affect the natural environment in a number of ways. We strive through continuing improvement to minimise the adverse effects on the environment and the earth’s natural resources, whilst safeguarding the health & safety of our staff and the public. We purposely seek out suppliers who take positive action to minimise both waste and the impact of their manufacturing processes on the surrounding environment. Internally, we constantly look for ways to reduce waste through more efficient procedures and recycling initiatives.
These include using recyclable and recycled material wherever possible and more eco friendly materials where recycled isn’t possible.
SUPPLY CHAIN CODE OF CONDUCT COMPLIANCE
Our products are manufactured by different supplier organisations employing thousands of people in several countries. We recognise and honour our duty to protect the workforce employed to manufacture our garments and work tirelessly with our suppliers to ensure the provision of fair wages and working hours, safe and hygienic working conditions, regular employment and no discrimination, harsh or inhumane treatment of employees. In order to manufacture ACRA
garments, each appointed supplier must comply with national and other applicable laws and conform to the following terms as a minimum requirement:
l Children must not be employed below the legal minimum age required by the law of the individual country.
l Employees are to be paid above the legal minimum wage as required by the law of the individual country.
l Working hours must not exceed those set out by local legislation. Overtime must always be voluntary and remunerated at a premium rate.
l Maternity leave must be made available to all female employees.
l Employment is freely chosen and no discrimination is practiced. There is no use of forced or involuntary labour and employees are free to leave their employment after reasonable notice.
l Good working conditions must prevail. The provision of adequate wash room facilities and a canteen are essential.
l Primary medical care must be provided on site.
l Correct procedure and policies should be in place to ensure employee health and safety.
l Workers’ representatives are not discriminated against and are allowed access to the workplace to carry out their representative functions.
l We do not accept outsourcing or the use of homeworkers. Failure to adhere to this condition will result in breach of contract.
MODERN SLAVERY STATEMENT
Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and to putting effective systems and controls in place to safeguard against any form of modern slavery taking place within the business or our supply chain.
Our suppliers
ACRA operates a supplier policy and maintains a preferred supplier list. We conduct due diligence on all suppliers before allowing them to become a preferred supplier.
This due diligence includes an online searches to find certification/audits that have been undertaken and include a review of working conditions. In addition to the above we double check for certification status which confirms that they:
l They adhere to our ethical policy.
l They hold at least one of the following factory audits: WRAP, SEDEX or BSCI.
l The factory make audit reports available if requested.
l They have taken steps to eradicate modern slavery within their business.
l They pay their employees any prevailing minimum wage applicable within their country of operations.
l We may at any time stop working with any partner organisation should any instance of modern slavery come to light.
FACTORY AUDITING
An ethical audit is a formal examination of the labour practices of a workplace or company. It is a verifiable process to understand, measure, report on and help improve an organisation’s social and environmental performance. We demand that all of our garment manufacturers hold a valid audit from at least one of the following:
WRAP
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production.
SMETA
Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit.
We aim to always:
l Comply with or exceed relevant legislative requirements.
Where these are inadequate we will set our own standards
that comply with our environmental and ethical criteria.
l Progressively reduce the environmental impact caused by our products and activities.
l Design and manufacture our products with consideration for the environment.
l Ensure that no chemicals deemed harmful to humans or the environment are present in our products.
l Insist that every component in all products hold a valid Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certificate to guarantee chemically safe garments.
European Regulation (EC 2006/1907–REACH regulation)
REACH is a European Regulation concerning chemicals and their safe usage. It aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment through a system of Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals.
Chemicals deemed as harmful are added to the ‘substance of very high concern list’. ACRA products do not contain any of the chemicals on this list in any quantity. The restricted substance list is usually updated twice a year.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100
Oeko-Tex is an independent globally standardised certification especially developed for textiles. Its primary purpose is to ensure that the chemicals used in the manufacture of textile products are in no way damaging to health. At ACRA we understand what the modern wearer demands from their clothing. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 allows ACRA to deliver innovative fabrics and designs with complete confidence
that no harmful chemicals have been used in their manufacture.
ACRA demands all products achieve this certification.
Oeko-Tex STeP – Promoting Sustainable Textile production
STeP is an additional factory audit which places emphasis on environmental performance and social responsibility. It is only gained by factories who achieve the highest level of sustainable production and safety ethics.
Oeko-Tex Made In Green
Made in Green is a traceable label that applies exclusively to textiles.
SUMMARY
ACRA confirms the following;
l All factories that manufacture ACRA garments hold at
least one of the following ethical audits – WRAP, BSCI or SMETA.
l That none of our products contain any of the current substances of very high concern in accordance to European Regulation (EC)
2006/1907 – Reach Regulation.
l All components used in our garments have been tested to
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and hold a current certificate
testifying this fact.
l Our management team regularly check all of our garment manufacturing facilities.