Vendor Code of Conduct
OCEAN + MAIN VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT
ocean + main strives to maintain the highest level of ethics in all of its business practices and holds the expectation that our vendors operate in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Additionally, we expect them to abide by our Vendor Code of Conduct and to ensure constant improvement of working conditions throughout our supply chain.
ocean + main works hard to seek out vendors and suppliers who hold our same values: a deep commitment to human rights, an unfailing dedication to eco-forward practices and materials as well as an emphasis on transparency and accountability. Our vendor code of conduct details the standards we expect our vendors to adhere to. Failure to do so will result in termination of ocean + main’s partnership with them.
By signing our Vendor Code of Conduct, suppliers acknowledge and commit to adhere to ocean+main’s standing DEIA, Anti-Harassment, Anti-Discrimination, Biodiversity Preservation, and Human Trafficking policies. (Provided separately). Any violation of this agreement will result in the termination of our working relationship.
Supporting our Mission to do Better for People and the Planet:
Our mission is to reduce our negative impact and increase our positive impact on people and the planet.
As part of our supply chain, we expect you to share our ethos. All our decisions and actions at ocean+main are based on two defining pillars: Protecting Biodiversity and Inclusion.
Protecting Biodiversity – how can we reduce our impact on the natural world. More nuanced than the term ‘sustainability’ our ultimate goal is to protect and replenish our natural world.
Inclusion – Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance. Our goal is to provide a workplace where all people feel included, safe, protected and seen at all times.
We actively pursue supplier relationships who adhere to the same standards. Best in class vendors include those who provide examples and certifications of the following guidelines which include, but are not limited to the below:
DEIA Strategies
GOTS Certified
Published Science-Based Carbon Emissions Goals
Reduction and elimination of harmful chemicals including adherence to AFIRM's Restricted Substance List (RSL)
Biodiversity and sustainability certifications including ISO certifications, BlueSign, Okeo-Tex, CERES, and more
Social and Human Health and well-being certifications that support and protect worker rights including PACE, HERproject, BetterWork certifications and more.
Reduction or elimination of pesticides
Restoration and regeneration of agricultural lands
Regenerative farming practices
Animal Welfare practices
Peace/Ahimsa silk
Law and Code Compliance
ocean + main vendors and suppliers are expected to comply with and will be monitored to adhere with the following:
- all relevant and applicable laws and regulations of the country in which workers are employed including those at the federal, state/provincial, and local community levels
- ocean + main’s Vendor and Supplier Code of Conduct
- Any Collective Bargaining Agreements that pertain to the workers that are employed
Law and Code Compliance
ocean + main vendors and suppliers are expected to comply with and will be monitored to adhere with the following:
- all relevant and applicable laws and regulations of the country in which workers are employed including those at the federal, state/provincial and local community levels
- ocean + main’s Vendor and Supplier Code of Conduct
- Any Collective Bargaining Agreements that pertain to the workers that are employed
LABOR RIGHTS
Child Labor
ocean + main is dedicated to eliminating child labor throughout its supply chain and adheres strictly to the United States Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA, 1938) and the International Labor conventions.
The United States Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, also known as the child labor laws, were enacted to ensure that when young people work, the work is safe and does not jeopardize their health, well-being or educational opportunities. International Labor conventions set the general minimum age for admission to employment or work at 15 years (13 for light work) and the minimum age for hazardous work at 18 (16 under certain strict conditions). It provides for the possibility of initially setting the general minimum age at 14 (12 for light work) where the economy and educational facilities are insufficiently developed. Therefore, ocean + main will not allow for any workers to be employed under the age of 15 or under the age for completion of compulsory education, whichever is higher. Workers under the age of 18 must not work in hazardous, unsafe or unhealthy working conditions or materials, and juvenile workers (ages 15-17) shall not perform work under circumstances that are likely to compromise their health, safety or morals. Adequate protection against such hazards must be provided to all juvenile workers (ILO Conventions: 138, 182).
Forced Labor
Under no circumstances will ocean + main tolerate any forced labor in its supply chain. No supplier or vendor shall use involuntary or forced labor (i.e., indentured, bonded, prison or labor obtained through slavery or human trafficking). At no point shall any worker in ocean + main’s supply chain be denied access to and/or control of their citizenship and travel documents nor should they be denied full freedom of movement. All labor contracts should be written and made fully available to them in their native language before leaving home. The contracts should clearly detail the terms of the employment and workers shall be informed of these terms before leaving home. At no point should workers pay for their job and if third party employment agencies are used, ocean + main will hold the vendor responsible for employment eligibility fees of all the workers, including all recruitment related fees. ocean + main requires suppliers to monitor any third-party they enlist to recruit or hire employees to ensure no individual is compelled to work through force, deception, intimidation, coercion or as punishment for personally held views. (ILO Conventions: 29, 105, 182)
Health & Safety
ocean + main is committed to a safe, healthy, and violence-free work environment. Behavior or actions that pose a health, safety or security risk to fellow employees, our extended workforce, or visitors is prohibited. Ocean + main expects its vendors and suppliers to provide their employees with a safe and healthy workplace, free of hazardous conditions that might cause accidents and injury while working. Suppliers and vendors have an obligation to adhere to all applicable laws of the countries in which they operate regarding work environment, sanitation and safety. Suppliers and vendors that provide employee housing must maintain clean, safe and adequate sleeping quarters, bathing and toilet facilities. (ILO Convention: 155)
Harassment, Abuse and Disciplinary Practices: ocean + main expects that every employee in its supply chain must be treated with respect and dignity. No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal abuse or to monetary fines or humiliating acts as a disciplinary measure.
Discrimination
Ocean + main does not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, veteran status, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other categories protected by law in its supply chain, nor does it allow for individuals with disabilities to be denied inclusion in the workplace based on their disability.
Wages & Benefits
Every worker holds the right to being paid weekly wages that provide for his/her basic needs and for some discretionary income. Ocean + main expects vendors and suppliers to the appropriate prevailing wage or, at least the minimum wage, whichever is higher. Additionally, ocean + main’s vendors and suppliers must comply with all legal requirements on wages, and offer any benefits required by law or contract. Where legally mandated minimum compensation does not meet workers’ basic needs and provide some discretionary income, each vendor and/or supplier of ocean + main shall endeavor to take appropriate actions that seek to progressively provide for the worker a level of compensation that does. (ILO Conventions: 25, 131)
Overtime Wages
Employees must be compensated for overtime hours in addition to regular working hours at the rate legally required in the country of manufacture. In countries where no such laws exist, employees shall be compensate at a rate exceeding the regular hourly compensation rate by at least 125%. (ILO Convention 1 and 30)
Hours of Work
Ocean + main suppliers and vendors shall not require workers to work more than the regular and overtime hours as permitted by the law of the country. The regular work week shall not exceed the maximum hours permitted by the law of the country of manufacture or 48 hours, whichever is less where the workers are employed. Vendors must apprise ocean + main of the need for additional hours in order to work together to reduce the frequency of excessive overtime. Vendors and suppliers must allow workers a minimum of 24 contiguous hours of rest in every seven-day period. All overtime work must be consensual. Vendors and suppliers of ocean + main shall not require overtime hours on a regular basis. (ILO Convention: 1)
Freedom of Association & Rights to Collective Bargaining
All of ocean + mains suppliers' and vendors’ employees must be free to form and join organizations of their own choosing, including trade unions and other worker organizations that participate in collective bargaining without fear of harassment, interference, or retaliation. Ocean + main suppliers and vendors must create and maintain effective, respectful, and transparent grievance processes to resolve disputes, address and respond to complaints and ensure effective communication between employees, employee representatives and management. (ILO Conventions: 87, 98, 135)
Community
ocean + main encourages all suppliers and vendors and their employees to engage in local community charity efforts that further environmental and social justice causes by volunteering time and/or providing other types of support. Ocean + main was founded on the principle of serving people, planet and purpose, and seeks long-term partnerships with suppliers and vendors that share these values.
Animal Welfare
Ocean + main suppliers and vendors must maintain respect for animal welfare and work progressively towards engaging in healthy and compassionate practices towards animals based on the highest level of available technology and standards.
Subcontracting
ocean + main’s suppliers and vendors must not engage any subcontractor to perform any work for or on ocean + main’s products, materials or components without prior written approval from ocean + main, and only after meeting the minimum requirements set forth in this Code of Conduct. This applies to scenarios where the vendor may engage unauthorized subcontractors as a solution for capacity challenges or to avoid excess overtime. If ocean + main approves a subcontractor, the supplier or vendor is required to furnish in writing the physical locations of all facilities that contribute to the production or transit of ocean + main materials.
Environment
ocean + main expects suppliers to have and maintain policies and procedures to ensure minimal environmental impacts. This includes but is not limited to the use of resources including water use, and mitigation of the release of chemicals, greenhouse gas emissions and use of hazardous materials. All applicable local and national environmental laws and regulations must be adhered to by ocean + main suppliers and vendors in the place where they do business. Additionally, ocean + main expects that vendors and suppliers engage in efforts to deepen their sustainability practices and ensure environmental responsibility, adhering to all written environmental policies and standards. Ocean + main suppliers and vendors must continuously monitor their energy and natural resource usage, emissions, discharges, carbon footprint and disposal of wastes and disclose them to ocean + main as requested.
Traceability
The only way to ensure social and environmental responsibility and the integrity of our products is to have transparency and traceability into all levels of our supply chain. ocean + main and our suppliers and vendors are jointly responsible for ensuring claims around the integrity of our product from the farm through the finished goods factory level. To this end, ocean + main requires suppliers and vendors to map and continuously track and monitor all levels and all locations of their supply chain. They must also be transparency with information about any owned and/or subcontracted farms, mills, plants, factories and other sites that are involved in the production of our products.
ocean+main's commitment to Suppliers
We believe strongly in workers rights. In the event ocean+main must cancel a contract, we will honor our obligation to pay for the work, materials and products outlined in the contract. In the event the products and services offered by the supplier are undeliverable, damaged or do not meet the criteria outlined in the contract or are past the contract deadline, we will work to resolve a and reasonable settlement in a reasonable amount of time to ensure workers are paid and and to mitigate any adverse human rights impact.
