Ever New is committed to the principles of responsible sourcing and respect for the
environment in the manufacturing of our products.
Ever New's ethical sourcing values are defined in the Ever New Supplier
Code of Conduct
detailed below. The Ever New Supplier Code of Conduct is based on the Ethical
Trading
Initiative (ETI) Base Code, International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions
and the United
Nations Declaration on Human Rights.
Ever New is committed to the
principles of responsible sourcing and
respect for the environment in the
manufacturing of our products.
Ever New's ethical sourcing values
are defined in the Ever New
Supplier Code of Conduct detailed below.
The Ever New Supplier Code of Conduct
is based on the Ethical Trading Initiative
(ETI) Base Code, International Labour
Organisation (ILO) conventions and the
United Nations Declaration on
Human Rights.
Ever New prohibits the use of child, forced or bonded labour. View our
policies here:
Ever New prohibits the use of child,
forced or bonded labour. View our
policies here:
Our Practices and Policies
Ever New works in a partnership approach with our suppliers,(updated May 2022),some of which we have worked with for as long as fourteen
years.
We regularly visit our suppliers around the world to audit working
conditions and processes and monitor
adherence to our Supplier Code of Conduct. This forms the minimum expectations with regard to the labour
standards and workplace conditions of our supply chain partners.
This enables us to work collaboratively with our suppliers to understand, measure, report on, and help
improve their organisations social and environmental performance.
Our goal is to drive continuous improvement within our supply chain and to help improve the lives of the
workers that make our products. Ever New employs dedicated in-house ethical compliance teams in our main
manufacturing countries. Our auditors are highly experienced and qualified to conduct audits against BSCI,
SA 8000, ICS and SMETA methodologies.
In FY21 we conducted 59 audits with 120 compliances checked against at each audit. 5 non compliances were
found on average in each audit. To ensure continuous improvement of workplace conditions and drive progress
on issues identified in audits, suppliers are required to engage in time bound corrective action remediation
plans which are overseen and managed by our in-country compliance managers . 50% of all corrective action
plans raised were closed same financial year. The most prevalent findings of non compliances were related to
working hours, social insurance payments and safety such as overtime, waste not segregated, aisle marking
faded, goods stacked too high and workers not wearing sufficient/correct PPE.
In addition to checks by our own auditing teams, many of our factories
commission independent audits
conducted by a variety of third party auditors including Elevate, Accordia, Algi, Bureaux Veritas, Intertek,
SGS and UL.
Many of our factories are also Sedex members. Sedex is a platform which
allows audits and corrective actions
to be shared between multiple retailers. This multi-stakeholder approach allows for greater transparency of
the factory’s objectives and progress and reduces audit fatigue.
In partnership with an established NGO, we have implemented a confidential
worker hotline in strategic
factories in China to accompany existing factory-level grievance mechanisms. Findings from this programme
inform our supplier engagement strategy.
For those suppliers who fully embrace our Code and Values, we commit to a
continuous improvement approach
over time, whereby we use our commercial leverage to influence and support any necessary improvements.
Whilst we will always prioritise this approach, Ever New reserves the right to terminate relationships
with suppliers who do not commit to our values or demonstrate meaningful change when gaps in adherence to
our Code of Conduct are discovered.
Our suppliers are very important to Ever New and integral to our work towards increased supply chain
transparency and ethical trade.
In addition to expectations outlined in the ETI base code, Ever New does
not tolerate bribery or
corruption in any form and expects transparency from our suppliers at all times, including during audits
conducted by or on behalf of Ever New.
Non-discrimination and gender equality
Discrimination in any form, including on the basis of gender, is not
tolerated.
Ever New is committed to addressing any gender inequality in our supply
chain. Our compliance programme monitors gender profile across permanent, temporary and migrant workers and
provides special assessment of home workers [if applicable].
We are committed to collaborating with our industry peers to collectively identify and resolve systemic
issues.
Please see our latest modern slavery statement, which applies to the reporting period 1 July 2020 - 30
June 2021. It describes the risks of modern slavery identified in our operations and supply chain and
the steps taken during this reporting period to minimize the likelihood of those risks occurring This
statement also broadly outlines our future commitments towards addressing modern slavery.
Compliance with legal wage requirements is assessed as part of our factory
audit and monitoring programs.
Ever New monitors national minimum wage increases in the countries in which we operate and engages with
our suppliers as well as buying teams to ensure they are across these increases for costing
conversations.
Beyond these minimum requirements, Ever New is committed to providing living wages for all workers within
our supply chain, a requirement which forms part of our Code of Conduct, agreed to by all suppliers.
Living Wage Definition
A living wage should be earned in a standard work week (no more than 48
hours as a maximum) by a worker and
be sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for the worker and her or his family. Elements of a
decent standard of living include adequate nutritious food, housing, healthcare, clothing, transportation,
energy, water, childcare, education, other essential needs including some discretionary money and provision
for unexpected events. A living wage should allow individuals to work and thereby lift themselves and their
families out of poverty.
Our Commitment and Milestones
Whilst we recognise there is no globally agreed living wage methodology, we acknowledge and benchmark our wage data against the Global Living Wage Coalition (Anker) calculations. In 2022, we completed a benchmarking exercise and wage gap analysis for the first tier of our supply chain.
We have used this data and learnings from the implementation of our Responsible Purchasing Policy to inform the development of our living wage strategy and ongoing discussions with suppliers. Ever New is committed to working with our suppliers to itemise wage levels in price negotiations. We will include all direct and indirect labour cost components in costing calculations. We are currently piloting this with core suppliers and anticipate extending fully by 2023/2024.
We remain committed to promoting freedom of association, collective bargaining and effective wage management systems and recognize that a multi-stakeholder approach to living wages is vital. We continue to work in collaboration with industry organisations, NGO’s, peers and initiatives working towards best practice approaches to living wages.
Ever New works in cooperation with our suppliers with open dialogue, some of whom we have worked with for
over a decade. We hold direct relationships and do not use agents nor engage in price bidding.
We are committed to responsible sourcing and acknowledge that purchasing
behaviour can play an important
role in influencing working conditions for those making Ever New Products.
In order to build internal capacity across our design, planning and buying teams, in Q2 2019 we implemented
comprehensive guidance on responsible sourcing through the development of a Responsible Sourcing and
Purchasing Policy, guidelines and staff training. Ongoing, all new design and buying teams will receive this
training and must align their practices accordingly. Staff are also required to complete and pass an online
e-learning module.
Implementation of this policy across all functions of the design and buying cycle at Ever New includes a
commitment to engage in accurate forecasting, mutually agreed lead times, capacity assessment and
reservation, fair negotiations and payment terms, delivery flexibility, sampling accuracy, order placement
consistency and responsible exiting. We recognise the importance of open dialogues with our suppliers and
will seek feedback on our purchasing behaviour through anonymous surveys annually.
Senior Management is responsible for implementation and compliance with this policy, which includes regular
evaluation reviews.
All suppliers are required to comply with relevant environmental laws and
regulations, including obtaining
necessary permits and licences.
Environmental Management Systems, which consider water treatment, waste
reduction and disposal, air
pollution, carbon emissions and the management of chemicals must be maintained.
Our audits monitor handling and storage of hazardous substances, safe
disposal of waste as well as the
treatment of wastewater.
Hazardous Substances
All suppliers must comply with all local and international regulations on
the use of chemicals, including
compliance with REACH and OEKO-TEX standards. Additionally, all suppliers must also comply with Ever
New’s Restricted Substance List and testing guidelines.
Our commitment to responsible materials extends to the highest animal
welfare standards. Our Animal Welfare
Policy strictly prohibits the use of real animal fur in any Ever New products or trims.
Ever New requires all suppliers to meet the requirements of our Animal
Welfare Policy.
We expect the highest level of animal welfare as per best practice industry
standards and require all
animals be afforded the Five Freedoms, as recognised by the RSPCA:
• Freedom from hunger and thirst
• Freedom from discomfort
• Freedom from injury or disease
• Freedom to express normal behaviour
• Freedom from fear and distress
Any animal material used in Ever New products must be a by-product of
the food industry. We do not
use real animal fur, angora rabbit hair or exotic skins.
Fur Free Retailer
We are a member of the Fur Free Retailer
programme, an initiative of the Fur Free Alliance. By joining this
international initiative, we are reinforcing our commitment to sourcing alternatives to animal fibres. To be
fur free means not to sell or promote any products that contain real animal fur.
International Accord For Health and Safety
We are a signatory to both the 2013 and 2018 Bangladesh Fire and Safety
Accords and fully support all
efforts towards factory safety for workers in Bangladesh.
In 2021, Ever New signed the new International Accord for Health and
Safety in the textile and garment
industry. A full list of signatories and details of the International Accord for Health and Safety can be
found on the International Accord
website.
Our Pledge Against Forced Labour in the Uzbek Cotton
Sector
We are proud to collaborate with this multi-stakeholder coalition to raise awareness of this very serious concern and press for its elimination. As a signatory to both the Uzbek and Turkmen Cotton Pledge, we are stating our firm opposition to the use of forced labour in the harvest of Uzbek and Turkmen cotton.
We commit to not knowingly source Uzbek or Turkmen cotton in the manufacturing of any of our products until the Government of both countries ends the practice of forced child and adult labour in its cotton sector.
Until the elimination of this practice is independently verified by the International Labour Organization,
we will maintain this pledge.
To request a copy of our Whilstleblower Policy, please contact:
Whistleblower Protection Officer
Forever New
Botanicca Corporate Park
Building 8, Level 1
584 Swan Street
Burnley Victoria 3121
Australia
Email: Whistleblower@forevernew.com.au
During these profoundly challenging times arising from COVID-19, we have
worked hard to reduce the impact on our supply partners by honouring our commitments and prioritising the
safety of the workers in our supply chain.
The steps we have taken include the following:
• We have committed to take completed orders and all orders in production and continue to pay in full at
originally agreed prices.
• Orders which were not yet in production have been rephased according to market demand and supplier
capacity rather than cancelled.
• Where we have been able to redistribute seasonal product to other global regions where our product is
sold, we have done this to honour purchase orders.
• We are working through commitments to raw materials which were purchased for rephased orders to assist
with supplier liabilities.
• Re-ordering has already recommenced, taking into consideration factory capacity and reflective of
customer demand.
The health and safety of workers remain paramount, and we continue to work
with our suppliers to ensure safety measures are in place across all factories including the provision of
training material relating to PPE, social distancing and hygiene. This will be ongoing as more factories
resume production.