ENGEL policy statement
Fundamental position
ENGEL GmbH is aware of its responsibility regarding
the observance of human rights. We respect the human rights in our company
values and delivery chains. It is our goal to promote their application and to
prevent their violation. Together with our employees, customers and business
partners we strive every day to promote human rights – that is what we are
committed to, notably to fair business practises and good working and living
conditions.
Taking the above as a foundation, we have drafted this
policy statement. The foundation of human rights diligence at ENGEL GmbH is our
commitment to respecting the human rights as they are laid down in
internationally agreed frameworks:
UN Human Rights Charter
UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human
Rights
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
UN Convention on the Rights of Women
Core labour standards of the International Labour
Organisation (ILO)
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
The ten UN Global Compact Principles
Responsibility and claim
Sustainability
Through far-sighted planning and responsible
procurement of our yarns and materials, we grant our business partners an
adequate time for scheduling their orders and associated with this, for
suitable personnel deployment planning and payment. Should we gain knowledge of
any adverse effects on human rights and the environment caused by our business
operations, we commit to provide for systematic remedial action and
compensation or at least for mitigation of the negative effects we have caused
or towards which we have contributed with our business operations. We are
cooperating with contracting companies within a radius of approx. 40 km. On the one hand, these short routes to the production
sites make sense from an ecological point of view, on the other hand they allow
us a high degree of flexibility, speed and production monitoring. Moreover,
with short distances we minimise the risk of negative impacts on human rights,
the environment and integrity.
In a declaration of conformity, all contracting
companies involved in the production process undertake to work according to the
guidelines of IVN and GOTS and to observe the social requirements.
Subcontracting only takes place with the consent of ENGEL GmbH to ensure that
these subcontractors produce according to the same criteria.
95% of our range of goods is certified with the Global
Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or with the world's most demanding quality mark
IVN-Best. Apart certified organic cotton we process finest new merino wool from
certified organic animal husbandry with silk. All dyes used are free of heavy
metals and have always been free of harmful azo dyes. Our textile finishing
dispenses with unnecessary chemical finishing. Basically, all substances used
must be biodegradable and may not pollute soil, air and water.
Human rights diligence
Like every company, ENGEL has the social
responsibility to secure existing jobs. And this is not only a responsibility
towards all employees, but also for the company itself. However, social
sustainability also means to secure jobs in the region, in the country, i.e. to
prefer regional providers, to maintain supplier relationships and to keep up
close ties.
An important role for parties concerned or parties
observing possible human rights violations is the access provided to the
grievance mechanism. For this purpose, ENGEL GmbH has set up an e-mail address
for the confidential reporting of information on compliance violations and
information relating to human rights. These grievances can be addressed to complaint@engel-natur.de.
This e-mail address is checked on a weekly basis and
so far, no complaints have been received.
The social criteria are known to all employees and the
current version from the GOTS and IVN-BEST guideline is on display both at
ENGEL and at the contractors' premises. There is a financial reward system for
suggestions for improvement regarding the entrepreneurial due diligence.
We place a particular focus on the protection of
vulnerable people such as adolescents, women, older employees and disabled
persons and consider their wishes and skills with regard to work quality and
work performance.
ENGEL undertakes to pay remuneration at least
amounting to the legally guaranteed minimum wage with working times that are
consistent with current standards. Beyond that, we align ourselves with the
payment of living wages.
All our employees have a written employment contract
in accordance with § 2 of the German Nachweisgesetz (Law on proof of the
essential conditions applicable to an employment relationship).
Responsibilities
The overall
responsibility for compliance with our principles in sustainability and human
care rests with the management of ENGEL GmbH. ENGEL GmbH will critically review
its position and the former's implementation on a regular basis and will
continue to develop it.