Ethical Sourcing Policy

BACKGROUND

1.1 We (XHYPE GROUP LTD) aim to conduct all our business in an honest and ethical manner and we are committed to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships. This includes committing to ethical and responsible procurement practices and ensuring that they are carried out in accordance with our corporate social responsibility aims.

1.2 This policy sets out the principles we endeavour to comply with in our sourcing practices, including in relation to the procurement of materials, goods, services and works.

1.3 This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf, in any capacity, including (but not limited to) employees at all levels, directors, consultants and casual and agency staff.

KEY PRINCIPLES

2.1 We recognise that we have a responsibility to ensure that the materials, goods, services and works that we procure are sourced ethically and sustainably when viable. We strive to use suppliers that operate in accordance with the ETI Base Code, including in line with the following principles:

2.1.1 Employment is freely chosen – there should be no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour;

2.1.2 Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected – workers should have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively;

2.1.3 Working conditions are safe and hygienic – a safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. 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;

2.1.4 Child labour shall not be used – there shall be no new recruitment of child labour. Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions;

2.1.5 Living wages are paid – wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. Wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income;

2.1.6 Working hours are not excessive – working hours must comply with national laws and collective agreements. All overtime shall be voluntary;

2.1.7 No discrimination is practised – there is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation;

2.1.8 Regular employment is provided – to every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice;

2.1.9 No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed – physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.

2.2 You can find more information about the ETI Base Code principles here.

2.3 We operate in accordance with strict codes of conduct with regard to acceptance of bribery or gifts made in the course of our business.

RESPONSIBLE PURCHASING

3.1 Suppliers have a key role and responsibility for providing good working conditions for the people they employ. However, bad purchasing practices can undermine the suppliers’ duties. Some purchasing practices, including aggressive price negotiation, inaccurate forecasting, late orders, short lead times and last-minute changes, put suppliers under intense pressure and lead directly to poor working conditions and low pay for workers.

3.2 We therefore aim to comply with the following principles, where possible, in order to ensure responsible purchasing practices are followed:

3.2.1 Written contracts – we will put in place written contracts with our suppliers and the contracts should be agreed upon through a fair, transparent dialogue with the supplier;

3.2.2 Sufficient lead times – to avoid irregular working hours or excessive overtime and use of temporary workers, we will aim to provide sufficient lead times and avoid late ordering and last-minute changes;

3.2.3 Forecasts and planning – the more accurate our planning and forecasting, the more efficiently our suppliers will be able to fulfil our orders;

3.2.4 Internal responsibilities – we will ensure we have processes in place to understand who holds which responsibilities in relation to the supplier, and who communicates and monitors our ethical requirements;

3.2.5 Fair payment terms – we will develop clear, consistent, transparent supplier payment terms. When determining how to pay suppliers, we will adopt a system that does not rely too heavily on one party or the other carrying the majority of the risk.

MONITORING OUR SUPPLY CHAIN

4.1 As part of our initiative to ensure that the materials, goods, services and works that we procure are sourced ethically and sustainably, we proactively engage in the identification, assessment and resolution of potential risk areas within our supply chain.

4.2 To ensure that our supply chain complies with our ethics and the ETI Base Code, we continuously monitor our suppliers’ performance. This includes the following actions:

• undertaking due diligence on suppliers before engaging with them;
• carrying out an ongoing and targeted review of our suppliers, with input from third party experts and auditors where appropriate;
• actively engaging with our suppliers to address and monitor any areas for improvement.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1 The XHYPE Group Ltd Website Admin is responsible for this policy, including reviewing and updating the policy from time to time.

5.2 If you have any questions about this policy, please contact the Website Admin whose email address is admin@xhype.co.uk and whose contact number is 0800 4488 645.