Honesty
Integrity
Trust Pride
These are the values which guide our company, our relationships and our business transactions. Responsible Sourcing is part of this, which is why EziBuy commits to an International Standard Code of Conduct as
the basis of all sourcing operations and business transactions. In turn we expect our suppliers to respect our values and comply with our code.
The challenges
of global
sourcing
We constantly review our approach to ensure products are made in a safe and fair working environment and that we are acting responsibly towards the people who make our products. This includes having an Ethical
Policy and taking a direct approach to sourcing to enable greater transparency and tighter control as well as improved communication and long term collaboration with suppliers and factories.
Small player
in a large
market
This has its advantages. We can source from factories already working with influential ethical retailers or we can source through smaller operations where we can exert our own leverage to promote better working
conditions.
results
to date
In 2012 we embarked on a four year ethical program with China, where 85% of our product is made. Since then we have gained 100% transparency of our primary supply base through 70% direct apparel sourcing. We
have also established a robust audit and reporting methodology and driven change through direct collaboration and training.
How we
audit our
success
Our audit program is based on internationally accepted standards. We conduct confidential interviews with our workers giving them the opportunity to have their say and voice their opinions. We believe
understanding their issues is the first step toward improving conditions and making timely changes for the better.
Future
plans
While there has been significant investment in developing EziBuy’s Ethical Sourcing Policy, we recognise there is more work to do. EziBuy is committed to making progress with our secondary supply chain to
achieve continuous improvement. The EziBuy five year strategy will take us beyond 2020 with an approach that focuses on further industry and stakeholder collaboration.
OUR ETHICAL
SOURCING
JOURNEY
2010 – 2017
Our Code of Conduct was developed. This set out our Ethical Trading Policy based on standards drawn from the ETI (Ethical Trade Initiative) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. These
requirements represent minimum standards, based on the principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The EziBuy Factory Audit Program covered approximately 50% of our suppliers, with 100% of suppliers submitting a declaration letter of compliance to the EziBuy Code of Conduct.
We launched our Factory Improvement Program hosting supplier workshops in Shanghai and a collaborative factory project in Nantong, both facilitated by an ethical sourcing global consultancy.
Subjects covered were: Business Case For Ethical Trade and Common Issues and Challenges; Practical Tips on The Big Issues: Child Labour and Wage; How to Build a Strong Health & Safety System.
EziBuy moved to Woolworths’ more comprehensive Ethical Audit and Supplier Onboarding Program. 100% of primary supply factories audited.
Introduced the Angora Rabbit Fibre Policy to prohibit the use of angora fibres in all products.
Introduced Uzbekistan Cotton Policy to prohibit the use of cotton from this country.
Further rollout of our Factory Improvement Program to ensure the sustainability of ethical compliance in our supply chain.
EziBuy Purchased by Alceon Group.
Sourcing was moved to a group sourcing model which follows Ethical Trading Initiatives (ETI) Base Code.
Global Supply
ChAIN by
Country
VIETNAM
1.9%
GERMANY
0.43%
PAKISTAN
1.29%
ITALY
0.31%
TURKEY
1.02%
INDONESIA
0.27%
ROMANIA
0.57%
BULGARIA
0.21%
Ethical Sourcing &
Policy Compliance
A plan for ongoing improvement
Ethical Policy / Code of Conduct
Click here for full details
Ethical sourcing verification for new suppliers
EziBuy has a three-step process for approval of new suppliers of own and exclusive brands for offshore suppliers:
Step 1. Capability assessment
New suppliers are required to complete the Supplier Capability Self-assessment for each of their production facilities. The Supplier Self-assessment questionnaire includes requirements for assessment of
quality, ethical, financial and commercial capability.
Step 2. Site inspection
Our global sourcing or supplier approval staff conduct a physical site inspection as a preliminary validation of the self-assessment in Step 1. If we don’t have our own staff on the ground, we proceed to a
factory ethical audit. Following a review of the factory inspection a decision is made if we should proceed to Step 3.
Step 3. Factory Ethical Audit
A favourable factory inspection will lead to a EziBuy ethical sourcing audit depending on the country risk assessment. The ethical audit status is classified based on the severity of the non-compliances.
Ethical Audit Status
Audit Findings
Consequence
Approved
No non-compliances
were identified
Supplier can trade
with EziBuy.
Conditionally Approved
No critical
non-compliances
were identified
Supplier can trade on the basis
that a Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
and timelines for closure are
submitted and agreed with EziBuy.
At Risk
1 or more critical
non-compliances
were identified
New suppliers cannot start
trading with EziBuy until all
critical non-compliances
have been resolved. Existing
suppliers will have seven
days to resolve any Critical
non-compliances.
Our third party ethical sourcing auditors
Our ethical sourcing audits are conducted by qualified and experienced third-party certification bodies (ie. auditors). EziBuy pre-qualified ethical audit certification bodies are:
- Asia Inspection
- Bureau Veritas
- BSI
- DQS UL
- Intertek
- Qualspec
- SAI Global
- SGS International
Products and countries subject to EziBuy’s ethical sourcing audits
We conduct the full scope of our Ethical Sourcing Audit for EziBuy brands made in high risk countries where human rights are at risk, bribery and corruption are widespread and the rule of law is not strong.
EziBuy operates a Country Risk Matrix developed from published third party global agencies as well as from customised data providers.
We have four risk levels in our Country Risk Matrix: Very High, High, Moderate and Low.
Facilities in countries rated Very High, High and Moderate are subject to the full scope of our ethical sourcing audit. Facilities in countries rated Low risk are exempt from our ethical sourcing audit based on
their overall track record on human rights protections and good governance. We may conduct audits with specific focus if there are particular issues of concern in these Low risk countries.