At Zimmermann, we are very aware of our responsibilities to our people, customers, business partners, community and environment.

We source our quality materials from around the world and as such our supply chain is extensive. Zimmermann is committed to operating to the highest standards of integrity in managing social, ethical and environmental issues along its supply chain.  We pride ourselves on the quality of our garments and products and work closely with our business partners to ensure not only are these standards being met, but that the process to achieve them meets our corporate and social obligations internationally.

To achieve these goals, we require that our suppliers commit to the principles and framework of our Supplier Code of Conduct. All our suppliers are required to follow our Code, the terms of which form part of our business relationship with them.

Zimmermann requires that working conditions in its supply chain are safe, that workers are treated lawfully and with respect and dignity, and that manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible.  This Supplier Code of Conduct (Code) is based on the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) code and sets out the required standards and conditions of doing business with Zimmermann.

In this Code, a reference to "you" include your agents, contractors, subcontractors, vendors and suppliers.

As a valued supplier, Zimmermann requires that you understand the terms of this Code and implement policies and procedures to ensure that our business and our supply chains are meeting the standards of the Code and are compliant in all aspects.  Breaches of this Code will lead to immediate review of our relationship and may result in the ending of that relationship at our discretion.

You must extend the terms and content of the Code through your business and supply chain, including secondary suppliers, subcontractors and all sources of labour.  You may satisfy this requirement either by incorporating as a term of your own supplier arrangements an obligation of compliance either with this Code or a comparable code of conduct or practice that covers the terms of this Code, and an obligation to communicate this Code throughout the supply chain. 

Record keeping to appropriate standards is mandatory, and you must at all times keep and maintain complete records that detail your ongoing compliance with this Code.  Zimmermann, by itself or via third parties, will conduct audits of any and all suppliers involved in production for Zimmermann (including their supply chain partners).

1.      Business Integrity

You must conduct your business with honesty and integrity and be committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct. You must not engage in, encourage or permit bribery, corruption, extortion, embezzlement or any other method of obtaining an undue or improper advantage.

You must uphold fair business standards, and you must not engage in, encourage or permit collusive bidding, price fixing, price discrimination, or other unfair trade practices.

2.      Labour Practices

You must uphold the human rights of workers and treat them with dignity and respect, as understood by the international community.  To that end, you must ensure that workers are afforded the highest level of protection offered either under local law or the ETI principles embodied in this Code.  Zimmermann prohibits any form of modern slavery from its suppliers and their downstream suppliers. This obligation applies to all workers of any kind regardless of place of work or the nature of your relationship.

Child labour must not be used

Child labour must not be used. You must take steps to ensure that child labour, forced labour and the exploitation of workers in the recruitment of workers both in your own operations, and throughout your supply chain is eliminated.

You must take reasonable steps to determine the age of people working within the business. No workers are to be employed who are under the minimum local legal age for employment, or the minimum local age for completing mandatory schooling, whichever is higher.

You must develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable the child to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child.

You must not employ young persons (between the minimum age and the age of 18) at night or in hazardous conditions. If national laws permit light work for young people who are still in school, those young people may not be employed in light work for more than 2 hours a day or spend more than seven hours a day on a combination of school work and light work.

Living wages

You must pay each worker such wages and benefits for a standard working week that meet national legal standards or industry benchmark standards in that worker's location of employment, whichever is higher.  In any event, you must always pay wages that permit that worker to meet his or her basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.

You must provide all workers with written and understandable information about their wages and employment before they commence employment, and about the particulars of their wages in each pay period.

You may not make deductions from a worker's wages not provided for by an applicable law without the express permission of the worker concerned.  Specifically, you must not make deductions from a worker's wages as a disciplinary measure.

You must ensure that all disciplinary measures in relation to a worker are recorded.

Employment freely chosen

You must employ all reasonable efforts to eliminate the use of forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour within your supply chain, and to avoid supporting, directly or indirectly, human trafficking.

You must not oblige workers to lodge payments, ‘deposits’ or identity papers with their employer.  Workers must be free to leave at the end of their shifts, and to leave their employer after reasonable notice.

Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining

Workers must have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing, and to bargain collectively. 

You must adopt an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities and must allow them reasonable access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.

Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted by law, you must allow the development of parallel means for independent and free association and collective bargaining.

Working conditions

You must provide a safe and hygienic working environment, bearing in mind your knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards.  You must ensure the structural safety of all facilities used within your supply chain and take adequate steps to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of or in connection with work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.

You must provide workers with regular and recorded health and safety training, which must be repeated for new or reassigned workers.

You must provide access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage.  Accommodation, where provided, must be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.

You must assign responsibility for managing worker health and safety to a senior management representative.

Working hours

You must ensure that working hours comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection to workers.  In any event, you must not require workers to work in excess of 48 hours per week on a regular basis and must provide at least an average one day off for every seven-day period.  Overtime must be voluntary, no more than 12 hours per week, not demanded on a regular basis and always compensated at a premium rate.

No discrimination

You must not discriminate in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, nationality, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, health condition, pregnancy, union membership or political affiliation.

Regular employment

To the extent possible, you must engage all workers on the basis of a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.

You must not avoid obligations to workers under labour or social security laws and regulations arising under a regular employment relationship through the use of labour-only contracting, subcontracting, or home-working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall you avoid any such obligations through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

Treatment

You are strictly prohibited from engaging in physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation.

3.      Environmental practices

You must not use harmful materials, dyes or chemicals that have any unacceptable risk to health or the environment during production, use or disposal.

You must comply with all relevant local and national environmental laws, regulations and standards.  This includes all applicable laws and regulations regarding storage, handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals and non-hazardous solid waste, as well as the treatment and disposal of wastewater and air emissions.  You must also develop, implement and disclose a formal policy that outlines your approach to managing the environmental impacts of your business within your control.

4.      Animal welfare

You must ensure good animal husbandry and welfare for any animal-derived products. These products include leather, wool and a small amount of shearling. Our collections are fur-free, and we do not use angora. You must not use banned animal-derived materials including: vulnerable or endangered species appearing on either the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) or the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists. 

5.      Product quality and safety

You must ensure that all products and services you supply meet the quality and safety standards required by law, or as set out in Zimmermann's product specifications or other instructions provided to you by Zimmermann.

You must implement and maintain a clearly documented quality management system.

6.      Disclosure of information

You must accurately record and disclose information regarding your business activities, structure, financial situation, and performance, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and prevailing industry practices.

7.      Subcontracting

You should have systems and processes in place to manage and document any subcontractors and sub-suppliers, including their compliance with this Code and commitment to social and environmental accountability. 

You must actively monitor approved subcontractors and sub-suppliers for adherence to this Code.

8.      Monitoring, reporting and compliance

You must implement and maintain systems for delivering compliance with this Code and ensure that this Code is communicated to all employees, and each participant in your supply chain. 

You must, within 30 days of a written request (such request not to occur more than once in any twelve-month period), conduct a self-evaluation to ensure your compliance with this Code.  You must report the findings of such evaluation to Zimmermann and ensure that these reports are true and accurate. 

Zimmermann may request that you measure and disclose data on key performance indicators relevant to this Code. If you identify any areas of non-compliance, you must notify Zimmermann of the breach, and your proposed course of remedial action within 30 days.

You may be required by Zimmermann to implement a corrective action plan to correct any non-compliance with this Code identified by an internal or external audit, assessment, inspection, investigation or review (Corrective Plan).  The Corrective Plan must define reasonable timelines for achieving compliance.  If you fail to meet the timelines identified in the Corrective Plan, Zimmermann may curtail or terminate its relationship with you.

Zimmermann and/or its representatives may visit your facilities, with or without notice, to assess compliance with this Code or any Corrective Plan.  You must provide such assistance as Zimmermann reasonably requires in order to carry out such an audit.  This Code supplements the obligations set out in any other agreements between you and Zimmermann.  Zimmermann reserves the right to amend or modify this Code at any time without notice.