The AMKA Group’s Code of Conduct

1. Preamble

The group of companies consisting of AMKA I/S, Denmark and Vinlageret Randers A/S, Denmark and their subsidiary companies are hereafter referred to as ”AMKA Group”.

The AMKA Group supports social responsibility. The working conditions for the workers taking part of the production of the products, sold by the AMKA Group, are an important aspect of the social responsibility.
The AMKA Group aims at developing an efficient and long-term partnership with its suppliers in order to ensure decent working conditions for everybody involved in the production of the products sold by the AMKA Group.
The AMKA Group has found inspiration to the elaboration of this Code of Conduct in different international laws, treaties and conventions, engaged in social responsibility including the relevant conventions in the international labour organizations (hereafter referred to as “ILO”) and according to the UN Global Compact’s principles.

The AMKA Group’s Code of Conduct defines certain standards, which the AMKA Group meets and which the AMKA Group expects its suppliers to meet too. The AMKA Group informs its suppliers about the standards by distributing this Code of Conduct. The AMKA Group’s suppliers have to aim at ensuring that the production of their products takes place in accordance with the AMKA Group’s standards, defined in this Code of Conduct. And the suppliers also have to make sure that their sub-suppliers meet the AMKA Group’s standards too. By taking appropriate measures within their company for the implementation and compliance of these standards, the suppliers are committed to show consideration for both permanently employed and seasonal/casual workers by themselves and their sub-suppliers.

In case improvements are necessary, the AMKA Group will make an agreement with the supplier to make the supplier carry out and maintain the improvements in question. The suppliers are committed to meet the AMKA Group’s standards as defined in this Code of Conduct within a reasonable time limit and this will be an essential parameter for further co-operation with the AMKA Group. If the improvements are not carried out and no considerable progress is made, the AMKA Group will strongly consider to end the co-operation with the supplier.

2. National legislation and the AMKA Group’s standards defined in this Code of Conduct

Basically, the supplier and its sub-suppliers shall follow their respective national legislations. In cases where a relevant national law and one of the AMKA Group’s standards defined in this Code of Conduct concern the same matter, the most strict law/standard should be followed. If a relevant national law and one of the AMKA Group’s standards defined in this Code of Conduct conflict with each other, the supplier is committed to inform the AMKA Group about it and to give the AMKA Group all relevant information about the discrepancies.

3. The AMKA Group’s standards

The AMKA Group’s standards are as follows:

1. Freedom in choice of employment – Prohibition of forced and compulsory labour

The supplier is not allowed to participate in or support forced and compulsory labour (personnel, who has not voluntarily offered its working power or is subjugated illegal restrictions by not being free to denounce the employment contract).
The personnel must not be committed to deposit money, personal belongings or their identity papers by their employer.
The personnel has to be allowed to leave the workplace after work and the personnel has to have freedom to denounce the employment contract within reasonable notice.

2. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining

All personnel shall have the right to join or form trade unions of their choice and to bargain collectively. The employer shall respect these rights and shall inform the personnel about these rights.
In situations where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted under law, the employer must under no circumstances interfere with similar methods to obtain independent and free association and collective bargaining.
Representatives for the personnel must not be subject to any kind of discrimination and they have to have access to their members in the workplace.

3. Prohibition of child labour

The AMKA Group will not have any co-operation with any company using child labour (defined in the next paragraph) in connection with the production of any product. Any forms of exploitation of children is forbidden and the rights of young workers must be respected and protected at any time.
According to UN’s Conventions about children’s rights and the ILO Convention no. 138 and 182 children under the age of 18 must not be working with anything which can endanger their health or safety and young workers may not work during night hours. Children under the age of 15 (in some countries 14) must not be working with anything which can harm their health and/or school attendance.
In the event that children are found to be working in situations which fit the definition of child labour above, actions for immediate termination of child labour shall be established. Furthermore, the supplier shall provide adequate financial and other support to enable such children to attend and remain in school until the children are no longer subject to compulsory school attendance.

4. Prohibition of discrimination

No discrimination based on ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, membership in trade unions or political affiliation shall be tolerated. The supplier shall hire personnel based on their working capacity and qualifications. All personnel with the same experience and qualifications shall receive the same payment for the same work. The supplier ought to establish systems for protection against sexually offensive, threatening, insulting or exploiting behavior and against discrimination or wrongful dismissal due to for instance marriage, pregnancy, parenthood, HIV status etc.

5. Prohibition of harsh or inhuman treatment

Physical molestations, punishments and threats of physical molestations are forbidden. This also goes for sexually persecution or any other kind of persecution and intimidation.

6. Workplace health and safety

The supplier shall provide a safe and healthy workplace environment and shall take effective steps to prevent potential accidents and injury to workers’ health. A clear set of regulations and procedures must be established and followed regarding occupational health and safety.

7. Compensation

Wages shall meet or exceed national legal minimums and/or industry standards. Wages shall be agreed prior to signing the employment contract. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure are forbidden.

8. Working hours

Working hours shall comply with applicable national laws or industry standards and must not exceed the working hours defined by the applicable international conventions (ILO convention no. 1). It is recommended that working hours do not exceed 48 hours per week (eight hours per day). The personel must have one day off per week. Overtime should be limited. The recommended maximum overtime is 12 hours per week. The personnel must always be compensated for overtime at a rate equal to applicable law or prevailing industry standards.

9. Orderly conditions of employment

As far as circumstances permit it, the work should be done based on approved conditions of employment, protecting the personnel’s rights and social security as defined by national law and custom. The supplier is not allowed to rent man power, make sub-suppliers agreements or similar constructions as means to avoid meeting the obligations towards the personnel.

10. Environment and safety issues

Procedures and standards for waste management, handling and disposure of chemicals, waste water handling and handling of other dangerous materials must meet or exceed minimum legal requirements.
The supplier shall support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges and undertake support to promote greater environmental responsibility and encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

11. Management system and anti-corruption

The supplier shall establish and implement a policy for social accountability in order to ensure that the requirements of this Code of Conduct can be met as well as establish and implement an Anti-Corruption policy for the company to ensure that the company always work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
The supplier’s management is responsible for the correct implementation and continuous improvement by taking corrective measures and periodical review of the Code of Conduct as well as the communication of the requirements of the Code of Conduct to all personnel.

4. Reporting and verification

The AMKA Group shall currently follow up on whether or not the supplier meets the requirements of this Code of Conduct and on request from the AMKA Group the supplier shall send written statements to the AMKA Group in order to verify to which extent each of the AMKA Group’s standards defined in this Code of Conduct is being met. In situations where some standards are not being fully met, the supplier shall verify which measures will be implemented in order to ensure that the standards will be met and the supplier shall inform the AMKA Group what the time limit for implementation of these measures are.

Out of consideration for inspection and verification the supplier shall at any time give the AMKA Group or representatives of the AMKA Group unlimited access to the supplier’s premises and to all relevant documents, no matter if the supplier has been advised in advance or not.