Compliance & Ethics

Our code is derived from the values and standards set by our customers. More particularly the Declaration of Human Rights and many of the ILO core conventions and local laws. It is our earnest endeavor to meet all the aspects of our buyers’ code of conduct. We only work with factories which are approved by our buyers.

• Approved Factory: It will be our earnest endeavor to meet all the aspects of our buyers’ code of conduct. We will only work with such factories which are approved by our buyers.
• Child labor: Use of Child labor is not tolerated by our code. We do not work with such business partners who employ workers lesser than 15 years of age.
• Forced labor: We do not work with any factory or organization which engages in forced or bonded labor.
• Disciplinary practices: We expect all our business partners to establish a clear disciplinary action procedure in line with the local law. We do not work with factories consisting of employees, who use abusive language, or practice corporal punishment, in the form of mental or physical abuse or any other coercive practices in any form against the workers.
• Harassment & Abuse: We do not work with any factory or organization who engages in any kind of harassment and abuse.
• Legal requirements: We expect all our business partners to comply with the local laws applicable to the conduct of their business.
• Ethical standards: We make sure to identify and work with such organizations whose ethical standards are not divergent from ours.
• Working hours: We prefer to work with business partners who try and meet the 60-hour weekly limit. We accept flexibility in scheduling work hours; however, we will not use business partners, who on a regular and systematic basis make the employees work more than the 60-hour weekly limit. Also, workers should be given one day off in seven days.
• Wages and Benefits: We only work with such business partners who compensate their workers as per the prevailing law and provide all benefits legally due to them.
• Freedom of Association: We respect the rights of workers to join an association of their choice and their right to Collective Bargaining.
• Discrimination: While being cognizant of cultural, religious and other differences, we firmly believe that workers should be given an opportunity to work, based on their skills only. Caste, Creed, Race etc: shall not be a part of the process used to decide employability.
• Unauthorized Subcontract: Unauthorized subcontracting is considered a Zero Tolerance Violation. No vendor shall subcontract any aspect of our production without prior information to and approval from our company. Any violation will result in delisting of such factories.
• Building and fire safety: We expect firmly that all our business partners ensure building and fire safety as per the local Law and the buyer’s requirement.
• Health & safety: We engage only with such factories who provide their workers a safe and healthy work environment.
• Environment: We want all our business partners to ensure that their work process does not affect the environment adversely in any way. It is expected of all our business partners to meet the legal requirement on all environmental aspects and continuously strive to go beyond just meeting the law.

SBS prefers and works only with factories who take their social responsibility seriously and puts in effective measures to ensure the betterment of the community and environment around them. This not only boosts our morality but also gives our clients the opportunity to feel that something of greater good comes out of their business with us above the monetary transactions.

It is in our code to make sure our business partners are all warry of the well being of their workers and the environment. Our compliance factories have in-house daycare centers, emergency first aid professionals and many other social windows to ensure the workers peace of mind. They are also well equipped with waste disposal equipment and methods to ensure minimal adverse effects to the environment.

Besides, we are proud to have developed and supported exceptional charitable initiatives across Bangladesh and SBS has been participating in all, from the beginning. Ensuring proper Education for underprivileged and orphaned children, Funds for rural area clinics etc.