We expect our suppliers to monitor and manage their supply chains to ensure that children are not involved in the manufacture and supply of products to the company. If children are active in the workplace, they are being denied the access to education, their rights to childhood and their physical and mental health as well as general wellbeing is at risk.
The policy below details actions to be taken to verify age prior to employment to avoid any instances of child labour. However, should this be uncovered, the policy remediation is laid out below, it is our suppliers’ responsibility to communicate this through their own supply chain and implement the policy.
Young worker and Age Verification Policy
Young workers (those between the minimum working age and 18) can be employed, although there are precautions that need to be in place to ensure that they are afforded adequate protection:
- Cannot be employed at night
- Cannot work overtime
- Cannot carry out any form of potentially hazardous work
The company is supportive of any programmes in place to help develop the skills of young workers, but any young workers on such a programme must receive at least minimum wage.
The below has been laid out to provide guidance on the minimum requirements to ensure that this is managed effectively, all suppliers are expected to fully implement as follows:
- There must be an effective procedure in place to verify the ages of all workers prior to employment. Evidence to verify every worker’s date of birth must be kept on file. If records are not available to verify the date of birth than a suitable and reliable method must be used and relevant documentation maintained.
- Ensure that this policy is communicated to and agreed by all labour providers.
- Where young workers are employed, all local requirements must be followed and specific risk assessments must be carried out to identify any specific hazards.
For complete clarity on the company’s the position on child labour, and avoid any confusion: No children under the age of 14 years are allowed to work.
Remediation
In the event that you currently have, or discover any person under the age of 14 in your supply chain, you must inform the company immediately.
The company will not terminate the trading relationship based on a report of child labour alone. Support will be offered to any supplier through the below process of remediation, provided all steps are followed no sanctions will be imposed. The best interests of the child are to be held above all else.
The following guiding principles should be taken into account:
- the safety and well-being of the child must take priority;
- reports should be made without delay to the company and relevant authorities
Company contact person for the purposes of this policy Alicia Bothma (HR Manager) 086 102 4260 or 027 70461
Alongside the supplier and any appropriate local organisations, the company will draft a plan that ensures that the child is returned to their home, where appropriate, promoting education and training to establish support networks, counselling and care. The child must not be present at the site of work during this period.
In the event that an underage worker/s is found working it is necessary to:
- Act quickly and appropriately their safety.
- Record the names, ages and contact details of the workers concerned.
- Explain the legal requirements and restrictions on working age carry out an age verification check.
- Consult with child focused organisations authorities regarding any child allegedly or confirmed to be involved in child labour.
- Terminate the employment relationship.
- Treat each situation of child labour on a case-by-case basis to ensure the best interest of the child taking into account their remediation programme.
- A full investigation should be carried out to establish how this has happened and action taken to prevent re-occurrence
Further Action
- We will write to the Supplier and take formal action if they do not demonstrate cooperation with this Policy.
- We reserve the right to discontinue the business relationship with any supplier if they deliberately breach this policy or fail to demonstrate action towards the agreed remediation programme.
- We will regularly review and audit our own recruitment procedures to ensure compliance, and reserve the right to carry out audits of our own supply chain.