Guidelines for Suppliers –
Skolmar 32 AS
Skolmar 32 AS strives towards responsible business conduct that respects people, society and the environment. These guidelines for suppliers have been developed as a complement to our Policy for Responsible Business Conduct. To achieve responsible business conduct we wish to work in close partnership with our suppliers and business partners. Skolmar 32 AS considers collaboration to be a prerequisite for responsible business conduct, and key to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Requirements – own business
Our policy for responsible business conduct forms the basis for our sustainability work, including in our supply chain. We seek to improve our policy and practice where relevant.
Our suppliers and partners can expect from Skolmar 32 AS that our purchasing practices strengthen, and do not undermine, their opportunity to deliver on our requirements related to people, society and the environment. We always seek collaboration in order to achieve responsible business conduct. However, we will end business relationships or other forms of collaboration if our supplier or partner does not meet our expectations for responsible business conduct.
We are committed to responsible and ethical business practices throughout our value chain. If anyone
has information about irregularities, unacceptable working conditions, or other concerning issues
related to our production, we encourage you to contact us confidentially via our whistleblowing
email: post@russ.no
All reports will be taken seriously and followed up in accordance with our ethical guidelines.
Requirements – conditions in the supply chain
Skolmar 32 AS expect our suppliers and partners to work focused and systematically to comply with our Guidelines for Suppliers, hereunder our Code of Conduct, that covers fundamental requirements on human rights, labour rights, anti-corruption, animal welfare and the environment. Our suppliers shall:
• Follow our guidelines for suppliers, hereunder the code of conduct
• Conduct due diligence for responsible business conduct. This involves; conducting risk
assessments to identify potential negative impact on people, society and the environment and
to stop, prevent and reduce such impact. The measures put in place must be monitored and
their effect evaluated. The measures taken must be communicated to those affected by your
actions. If the supplier is responsible for the negative impact/damage, they are responsible for
providing remedy.
• Show willingness and ability to continuous improvement for people, society and the
environment through collaboration.
• At the request of Skolmar 32 AS, the supplier must be able to document how they – and any
potential subcontractors – work to comply with the guidelines. This may be done through
follow-up meetings and/or assessments of working conditions at the production site. If Redress
AS wishes to assess subcontractors in relation to compliance with the guidelines, the supplier is
obliged to allow such an assessment and to provide names and contact information of the
relevant parties.
• If the supplier, after several requests by Skolmar 32 AS, does not show the willingness or ability to
comply with the guidelines for suppliers, the contract may be cancelled.
• Have a system in place to manage complaints related to human rights, labour rights, the
environment and corruption.
• Avoid trading with partners that have activities in countries where a trade boycott is imposed
by the UN and/or Norwegian Government authorities.
Expected follow-up and guidance by Skolmar 32 AS
At the request of Skolmar 32 AS the supplier must be able to document how they, and any potential subcontractors, work to comply with the Guidelines for Suppliers. This may be done through follow-up meetings and/or mapping of conditions in the supply chain. Should Skolmar 32 AS request an assessment of subcontractors’ compliance with the Guidelines, the supplier is required to provide the name and contact details of subcontractors.
Principles for sustainable business conduct (Code of Conduct)
These principles for responsible business conduct are based on UN and ILO conventions and provide minimum, not maximum standards. The relevant legal framework at the place of production shall be respected. Where national laws and regulations address the same subjects as these guidelines, the most stringent shall apply.
1. Forced and compulsory labour (ILO Conventions Nos. 29 and 105)
1.1. There shall be no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
1.2. Workers shall not be required to lodge deposits or identity papers with their employer and shall
be free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.
2. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining (ILO Conventions Nos. 87, 98, 135 and 154)
2.1. Workers, without distinction, shall have the right to join or form trade unions of their own
choosing and to bargain collectively. The employer shall not interfere with, obstruct, the formation of
unions or collective bargaining.
2.2 Workers’ representatives shall not be discriminated and shall have access to carry out their
representative functions in the workplace.
2.3 Where the right to freedom of association and/or collective bargaining is restricted under law, the
employer shall facilitate, and not hinder, the development of alternative forms of independent and
free workers representation and negotiations
3. Child Labour (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ILO Conventions Nos. 138, 182 and 79, and ILO Recommendation No. 146)
3.1. The minimum age for workers shall not be less than 15 and comply with the national minimum
age for employment, or; the age of completion of compulsory education, whichever of these is higher.
If local minimum is set at 14 years in accordance with developing country exceptions under ILO
Convention 138, this lower age may apply.
3.2. There shall be no recruitment of child labour defined as any work performed by a child younger
than the age(s) specified above.
3.3. No person under the age of 18 shall be engaged in labour that is hazardous to their health, safety
or morals, including night work.
3.4. Policies and procedures for remediation of child labour prohibited by ILO conventions no. 138 and
182, shall be established, documented, and communicated to personnel and other interested parties.
Adequate support shall be provided to enable such children to attend and complete compulsory
education.
4. Discrimination (ILO Conventions Nos. 100 and 111 and the UN Convention on Discrimination Against Women)
4.1. There shall be no discrimination at the workplace in hiring, compensation, access to training,
promotion, termination or retirement based on ethnic background, caste, religion, age, disability,
gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
4.2. Measures shall be established to protect workers from sexually intrusive, threatening, insulting or
exploitative behaviour, and from discrimination or termination of employment on unjustifiable
grounds, e.g. marriage, pregnancy, parenthood or HIV status.
5. Harsh or Inhumane Treatment (UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Art. 7)
5.1. Any act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is an offence to human dignity and shall be condemned as a denial of the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. No State shall permit or tolerate torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and they shall take effective measures to prevent such practices
6. Health and Safety (ILO Convention No. 155 and ILO Recommendation No. 164)
6.1. The working environment shall be safe and hygienic, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of
the industry and of any specific hazards. Hazardous chemicals and other substances shall be carefully
managed. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of,
associated with, or occurring in, the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable,
the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.
6.2. Workers shall receive regular and documented health and safety training, and such training shall
be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
6.3. Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food
storage shall be provided.
6.4. Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe and adequately ventilated, and shall have
access to clean toilet facilities and potable water.
7. Wages (ILO Convention No. 131)
7.1. Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week shall as minimum meet national legal
standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. Wages should always be enough to
meet basic needs, including some discretionary income.
7.2. All workers shall be provided with a written and comprehensible contract outlining their wage
conditions and method of payments before entering employment.
7.3. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted.
8. Working Hours (ILO Convention No. 1 and 14)
8.1. Working hours shall comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, and not more
than prevailing international standards. Weekly working hours should not on a regular basis be more
than 48 hours.
8.2. Workers shall be provided with at least one day off for every 7 day period
8.3. Overtime shall be limited and voluntary. Recommended maximum overtime is 12 hours per week,
i.e. that the total working week including overtime shall not exceed 60 hours. Exceptions to this are
accepted when regulated by a collective bargaining agreement.
8.4. Workers shall always receive overtime pay for all hours worked over and above the normal
working hours (see 8.1 above), minimum in accordance with relevant legislation.
9. Regular Employment (ILO Convention No. 95, 158, 175, 177 and 181)
9.1. Obligations to employees under international conventions, national law and regulations
concerning regular employment shall not be avoided through the use of short term contracting (such
as contract labour, casual labour or day labour), sub-contractors or other labour relationships.
9.2. All workers are entitled to a contract of employment in a language they understand.
9.3. The duration and content of apprenticeship programmes shall be clearly defined.
9.4. Measures shall be taken to ensure that part-time workers receive the same protection as that
accorded to comparable full-time workers in respect of aspects such as the right to organize, to
bargain collectively, to act as workers’ representatives, occupational safety and health, and
discrimination in employment and occupation.
10. Marginalized Populations (UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, art. 1 and 2)
10.1. With participation of the people concerned, governments shall have the responsibility for developing coordinated and systematic action to protect the rights of these people and to guarantee respect for their integrity. This includes ensuring that members of these peoples benefit on an equal footing from the rights and opportunities which national laws and regulations grant to other members of the population, promoting full realization of social, economic, and cultural rights of these people, and assisting them to eliminate socio-economic gaps that may exist between indigenous and other members of the national community.
11. Environment
11.1. Negative impact on the environment shall be reduced throughout the value chain. In line with
the precautionary principle, measures shall be taken to continuously minimize greenhouse gas
emissions and local pollution, the use of harmful chemicals, pesticides, and to ensure sustainable
resource extraction and management of water, oceans, forest and land, and the conservation of
biodiversity.
11.2. National and international environmental legislation and regulations shall be respected and
relevant discharge permits obtained.
12. Corruption
12.1. Corruption in any form is not accepted, including bribery, extortion, kickbacks and improper private or professional benefits to customers, agents, contractors, suppliers or employees of any such party or government officials.
13. Animal welfare
13.1 Animal welfare shall be respected. Measures should be taken to minimize any negative impact on
the welfare of livestock and working animals.
13.2 National and international animal welfare legislation and regulations shall be respected.
