Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is concerned with the ways in which an organisation exceeds its minimum obligations to stakeholders specified through regulation.
Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into the DNA of SBPA. CSR policy functions are a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business monitors ensure its active compliance within the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms and what we see is simply “The Right Thing to Do”. The goal of SBPA CSR policy is to embrace responsibility for the company’s actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. Furthermore, SBPA CSR Policy focuses proactively to promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere, regardless of legality. SBPA CSR Policy is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into SBPA decision making, which is the core business of the company and the honoring of people, planet and profit.
APPA – Australian Promotional Products Association (APPA)
BPA is a member of APPA. APPA is a proud founding member of the International Federation of Promotional Product Associations (IFPPA) and promotes International Labour Standards (ILS), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), standards professionalism, ethics and communication throughout the world within the multibillion dollar promotional industry.
Labour Laws and Regulations
SBPA will not use any form or condone the use of forced labour, including indentured, prison, bonded or slave labour and will not use physical or verbal harassment or abuse to discipline employees.
SBPA will not use or condone the use of child labour and will comply with all minimum age provisions of applicable laws and regulations to the best of our ability.
SBPA respect the rights of employees to associate or organize without fear of reprisal or interference. If employees are represented by an organization recognised under law, we respect the right to bargain collectively. We will not discriminate in hiring and employment practices on the basis of age, nationality, race, religion, social, sexual or ethnic orientation, gender or disability. SBPA will comply with all applicable wage, work hours, hiring, benefits, and overtime laws and regulations.
We will provide a safe, healthy and secure workplace and will abide by all applicable laws and regulations for health and safety. Proper sanitation, lighting, ventilation and fire safety protection will be provided.
Environment
The planet we live on is the only one we have, so it is important we all try and do our bit to protect our environment.
We have established environmental practices in Australia such as recycling all cardboard and packaging, putting up external blinds at our offices to minimise the use of air conditioning, and purchasing diesel vehicles and green electricity. We encourage all suppliers importing goods on our behalf – including our own direct imports – to not use individual plastic bags to pack products unless there is a specific requirement to do so. Significant wastage is generated with the unnecessary use of plastic bags and liners used in the shipping of goods.
SBPA will abide by all applicable environmental laws and regulations. We manage our environmental footprint including energy, water and waste systems for maximum efficiency to minimize the adverse impact on the environment to the best of our ability.
We are committed to operating a paperless organisation, examples include, emails, faxes are actioned and stored or transmitted electronically and our day to day modus operandi is to reduce our carbon foot print in this area.
Subcontractors and Supply Partners
SBPA will ensure to the best their ability that all businesses that support their business as subcontractors, supplier’s partners, manufacturers or sources of goods within Australia and globally will comply with all of the same policies stated in our code of ethical and responsible conduct.
Legal
Whilst there is no legal requirement for SBPA to practice ethical, social and corporate governance, SBPA has voluntarily chosen to do this simply because it is “The Right Thing to Do”.
SBPA on its own cannot change the world and in particular the manufacturing practices adopted by many businesses. However, we have the right to choose who we work with and make it known to our suppliers globally, what we expect if we are to conduct regular business activities with them.
With respect to Asia we communicate directly through our office in Qingdao China, via factory site visits conducted by Australian and Chinese staff and selected wholesalers who subscribe to our standard operating principles.
Examples of this include: the conditions in which people work. Working conditions must include clean separate eating areas away from their workstation. Separate and clean dormitory conditions for resident workers are essential as well as provision being made for genuine rest periods for all workers. These and other conditions that in Australia are normal need to be made available for all workers. All workers are to be treated respectfully and humanely.
There is a price to pay
Purchasing product from suppliers, who to the best of their ability are “Doing the Right Thing”, may come at a cost. The cost of producing or manufacturing a product increases when business in a particular Asian business entity ensures that it complies with employment and environmental expectations. This may result in a slightly higher cost to import these goods into Australia; however SBPA will not knowingly compromise our position under any circumstances. Please be aware that if we are being out-bid on a deal by a significant amount by our competitors, which occasionally happens, questions need to be asked, is our competitor and/or their suppliers living and breathing the same standards as SBPA. (Examples can be supplied on request.)
Wholesalers/ Resellers
We choose to work closely with several key wholesalers whose corporate governance and ethical standards are in line with SBPA CSR policy. These wholesalers maintain a permanent presence in Asia with resident managers overseeing their interests in corporate governance and quality control.
Questions and Feedback
For any further information, detail or feedback on SBPA CSR policy, please do not hesitate to contact us – [email protected].
