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Pentland

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"We are committed to improving working conditions for the people that make our products."

Ethical Trade

We source products from hundreds of suppliers globally, most of them in Asia.  In turn, these suppliers employ thousands of people. Although we do not employ them directly, we are committed to improving working conditions for the people that make our products.  

We recognise that there are complex ethical issues within the apparel and footwear manufacturing supply chain. It is important that we understand why these issues exist, and then take steps to improve the situation. In particular we work to gain a proper understanding of the nature of any subcontracting, home working, or use of migrant workers. These can be viable forms of employment, but we must take extra care to ensure they are used responsibly.

We limit our impact and risk by setting robust standards, selecting partners carefully and working with them to continually improve performance.

Our Standards

Our policy is to only do business with suppliers that adopt and implement our standards, or have policies that reflect the same values. We require them to comply with our Code of Employment Standards for Suppliers, as well as all relevant local legislation.

Our Code of Employment Standards for Suppliers reflects globally recognised labour standards, including those of the International Labour Organization and the Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code. It specifies that:

  • Workers should receive a living wage and have fair working hours and regular employment
  • Working conditions should be safe and hygienic
  • There should be no discrimination, or harsh or inhumane treatment
  • No child labour should be used
  • Employment should be freely chosen
  • Workers should have the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining

Assessing and Improving Performance

We monitor our supply chain's performance against these standards through regular factory assessments, led by our Corporate Responsibility team alongside brand representatives and factory management. Where assessments identify room for improvement we work with suppliers to make positive changes, for example by sharing best practice, providing resources and training and linking them with appropriate local organisations.

We encourage suppliers to include worker committees in the improvement process by consulting them on the changes they feel would make the biggest difference.
In most cases, we will only withdraw business from suppliers if factory management refuses to collaborate on performance improvement.

Ethical Trade Collaborations

We work with others in our industry - including apparel and footwear companies, our business partners, and international and local organisations - to find new ways to address ethical trade issues and find lasting solutions.

Pentland is a long-standing member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). We report annually to the ETI on our ethical trade performance, and participate in several of the organisation's working groups.

We also collaborate with Better Work, a partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Better Work aims to improve compliance with labour standards, as well as competitiveness in global supply chains. We have signed Better Work's 'buyer principles' and participate in its programmes in Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Pentland worked with others to agree a Freedom of Association Protocol for Indonesia, which we signed in July 2011. The Protocol aims to strengthen the application of freedom of association in the workplace in Indonesia, and calls on brands to support and promote the adoption of good practice by suppliers.

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Corporate Responsibility

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