Responsible Business

Responsible business

We are committed to responsible business practices and regularly review our policies and set ethical and environmental standards for ourselves and for those with whom we do business.

Our vendor relationships

We strongly value our vendor relationships, which are built on a foundation of honesty and trust. Our Vendor Code of Conduct ensures vendors and their subcontractors know what we expect on issues including working hours, safety in the workplace and wages and conditions. We audit vendors and provide education so that they understand our expectations and can develop processes to meet and exceed them.
By signing Our Vendor Code of Conduct, our vendors commit to:

No child or forced labour
Protect employee rights on wages, working hours and freedom of association
No harassment, abuse or discrimination
Adhering to health and safety regulations in the workplace
Complying with all applicable environmental laws and regulations

Responsible product sourcing

We work hard to ensure that products we buy are in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. If we find a product in our store that doesn't meet these, we ensure the item is immediately removed.

No-fur policy

We've had a no-fur policy since 2003 and we do not knowingly sell items that contain real fur of any type. In addition, we do not knowingly source products containing angora.

Feather & down

With brands that manufacture feather and down bedding products, we remain committed to pursuing a policy of no live plucking or force feeding and to seeking accredited third-party certifications including or equivalent to the RDS, TDS or Downpass.

Childrenswear

We are signatories to the British Retail Consortium's Childrenswear Guidelines, which state that we will not sell clothes that are not appropriate for children to wear.

Decency standards

We are careful that the products we sell meet standards of decency, never knowingly selling products that contain offensive language or imagery.

Supporting communities to develop sustainable trade

Working with over 4,000 local people in the remote Rwenzori region of Western Uganda, our Sustainable Trade Programme was developed in 2011.

The aim of the programme is to help parents ensure their children complete primary education. We do this by helping them increase their income from the production and sale of coffee, cocoa, cotton and crafts. We're proud to sell some of these products in store and online as part of our ‘Made to do Good’ range.

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