Social Accountability-Human Rights at Work
Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. is committed to follow the SA 8000 standard as issued by Social Accountability International SAI (www.sa-intl.org) whose mission is to advance the human rights of workers by promoting decent work conditions, labour rights, and corporate social responsibility through voluntary standards.
This commitment of course goes for our own organization but is foremost made to ensure that the more than 50 factories that are producing our range of products, are taking a similar social responsibility, adhering to this Code of Conduct.
Producing for Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. therefore includes the following requirements:
Legal Requirements
Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. is committed to comply with SA 8000 standard, national and other applicable laws and regulations and with international conventions concerning Social & Working Conditions, Child Labour and the protection of the Environment.
Social & Working Conditions
Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. expects ourselves and our suppliers to respect fundamental human rights, to treat their workforce fairly and with respect.
We must:
- Provide a healthy and safe working environment,
- Pay at least the minimum legal wage and compensate for overtime,
- If housing facilities are provided, ensure reasonable privacy, quietness and personal hygiene.
We must not:
- Make use of child labour, (see separate point below),
- Make use of forced or bonded labour,
- Discriminate,
- Use illegal overtime,
- Prevent workers from associating freely with any workers’ association or group of their choosing or collective bargaining,
- Accept any form of mental or physical disciplinary action, including harassment.
Child Labour General Principle
Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. dose not accept Child Labour. Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd.
Supports the United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and this Code of Conduct is based on this Convention, stipulated in:
- Article 3; “All actions concerning the Child shall take full account of his or her best interests.”
- Article 32.1 “the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education, or to be harmful to the child’s health of physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development”.
In addition, this Code of Conduct is based on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Minimum Age Convention no. 128(1973).According to this convention, the word “Child” is defined as any work or mandatory schooling, in which case the higher age would apply. If, however, the local minimum working age is set at fourteen (14) years of age in accordance with exceptions for developing countries, the lower age will apply. This Code of Conduct also incorporates the ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour no. 182(1999).
Implementation
All actions to avoid Child Labour shall be implemented taking the Child’s best interests into account, Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. requires that all suppliers comply with all relevant national and international laws, regulations and provisions applicable in the country of production.
Suppliers are obliged to take the appropriate measures to ensure that no Child Labour occurs at suppliers’ and their sub-suppliers’ places of production.
If Child Labour is found in any place of production, Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. will require the supplier to implement a corrective action plan. If corrective action is not implemented within the agreed time-frame, or if repeated violations occur, Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. will terminate all business with the supplier concerned. A corrective action plan shall take the Child’s best interests into consideration, i.e., family and social situation and level of education. Care shall be taken not merely move Child Labour from one supplier’s workplace to another, but to enable more viable and sustainable alternatives for the children.
Young workers
Young workers of legal working age have, until the age of 18, the right to be protected from any type of employment or work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize their health, safety or morals. Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. therefore requires all its suppliers to ensure that young workers are treated accordingly; this includes measures to avoid employment during school hours. Limits for working hours and overtime should be set with special consideration to the workers’ low age.
Labour force register
The supplier shall maintain documentation for every worker verifying the worker’s date of birth. In countries where such official documents are not available, the supplier must use appropriate assessment methods as per local practice and law.
Monitoring
All suppliers are obliged to keep Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. informed at all times about all places of production (including their sub-suppliers). Through the General Conditions of Purchase for the supply of products to Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd., Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. has reserved the right to make unannounced visits at any time to all places of production(including their sub-suppliers) for goods intended for supply to Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd. furthermore reserves the right to, at its sole discretion; assign an independent third party to conduct inspections in order to ensure compliance with the Interbuild Far East (HK) Ltd.’s demands on not accepting Child Labour.
