Ethical Source

UNIDEN AUSTRALIA ETHICAL SOURCING POLICY

1. Purpose

Uniden Australia is committed to conducting business responsibly and ethically and to promoting responsible practices throughout our supply chain.

As part of a global marketplace, Uniden Australia sources products, components and services from suppliers operating in Australia and internationally. We recognise that global supply chains can present risks relating to labour and human rights, workplace health and safety, environmental practices and business integrity.

This Ethical Sourcing Policy sets out the standards and principles that Uniden Australia expects its suppliers and business partners to uphold. These expectations apply, where relevant, to suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors and other parties involved in the production or supply of goods and services to Uniden Australia.

We expect our suppliers to comply with applicable laws and regulations and to conduct their operations in a manner consistent with the principles set out in this Policy.

Where Uniden Australia becomes aware of conduct within its supply chain that may be inconsistent with this Policy, we will seek to understand the circumstances and, where appropriate, work with the relevant supplier to address the issue. Serious, persistent or unremedied breaches may result in corrective action, suspension or termination of the relevant supplier relationship.

2. Our Expectations of Suppliers

2.1 Business Integrity

Suppliers are expected to:

comply with all applicable local, national and international laws and regulations relevant to their operations;
conduct business honestly, ethically and transparently;
prohibit bribery, corruption, fraud, extortion and other improper business practices;
maintain accurate business records and not falsify documents, records or information; and
maintain appropriate policies and controls to support ethical business conduct.

2.2 Labour and Human Rights

Uniden Australia respects internationally recognised human rights and expects suppliers to respect the rights and dignity of all workers.

Suppliers must not use or benefit from forced, bonded, indentured, trafficked, involuntary prison or other forms of involuntary labour.

Employment must be freely chosen. Workers must:

have reasonable freedom of movement;
not be required to surrender passports, identity documents or other personal documents as a condition of employment, except where temporarily required by law for legitimate administrative purposes;
not be required to pay recruitment fees or lodge deposits as a condition of employment; and
be free to leave their employment after providing reasonable notice in accordance with applicable law and contractual requirements.

2.3 Safe and Healthy Working Conditions

Suppliers must provide workers with a safe, clean and healthy working environment and take reasonable steps to prevent workplace injuries and occupational illness.

Suppliers are expected to:

provide workplaces, plant, equipment and systems of work that comply with applicable health and safety requirements;
identify, assess and appropriately control workplace hazards;
provide workers with appropriate health and safety information, instruction and training and maintain relevant training records;
provide appropriate personal protective equipment at no cost to workers where required and train workers in its proper use;
ensure machinery is appropriately maintained and fitted with safeguards consistent with applicable laws and recognised safety practices;
provide access to clean drinking water, sanitary toilet facilities and, where appropriate, hygienic facilities for food preparation and storage;
ensure any worker accommodation provided is safe, clean and meets applicable legal requirements and basic needs;
maintain appropriate emergency preparedness and response procedures; and
assign responsibility for workplace health and safety to an appropriate member of management.

2.4 Child Labour

Uniden Australia does not tolerate unlawful or exploitative child labour.

Suppliers must comply with applicable minimum-age laws and should act consistently with internationally recognised standards concerning child labour, including the principles reflected in International Labour Organization conventions.

Children and young workers must not undertake work that:

is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful;
interferes with their education;
deprives them of the opportunity to attend school;
requires them to leave school prematurely; or
exposes them to hazardous conditions or working arrangements inappropriate for their age.

Where young workers are legally employed, suppliers must ensure that their work is appropriate for their age and does not compromise their health, safety, development or education.

2.5 Wages and Benefits

Suppliers must compensate workers in accordance with applicable wage, benefit and employment laws.

Suppliers are expected to:

pay at least the applicable legal minimum wage and provide all legally required benefits and entitlements;
provide workers with clear, written and understandable information about their employment conditions and remuneration;
provide workers with appropriate information about their wages and deductions for each pay period;
ensure deductions from wages are lawful and properly authorised;
not use wage deductions as an unlawful disciplinary measure;
maintain accurate records of wages, benefits and payments; and
not use labour contracting, subcontracting, fixed-term arrangements, apprenticeships or similar arrangements for the purpose of avoiding legal obligations owed to workers.

2.6 Working Hours

Suppliers must ensure working hours, overtime, rest periods and leave comply with applicable laws and regulations.

Where local laws do not prescribe appropriate maximum working hours, suppliers should seek to follow recognised international labour standards.

Suppliers are expected to:

ensure workers receive appropriate rest days and legally required breaks;
ensure overtime is voluntary where required by law and is appropriately compensated;
avoid excessive working hours;
maintain accurate and complete records of hours worked; and
implement appropriate safeguards where exceptional circumstances require temporary increases in working hours.

2.7 Discrimination, Harassment and Respectful Workplaces

Suppliers must provide workplaces free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, abuse and intimidation.

Employment decisions, including recruitment, remuneration, access to training, promotion, discipline, termination and retirement, must not be based on characteristics protected by applicable law.

Suppliers must:

prohibit sexual harassment, sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse and other forms of workplace harassment;
respect workers' lawful rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining;
provide appropriate mechanisms for workers to raise concerns without fear of retaliation; and
comply with applicable laws relating to pregnancy, parental rights and workplace protections.

Pregnancy testing must not be used as a condition of employment except where expressly required by applicable law for a legitimate and lawful purpose.

2.8 Environmental Responsibility

Suppliers must comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations, permits and standards and are expected to seek opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of their operations.

Suppliers should:

responsibly manage energy, water and other natural resources;
minimise waste and pollution;
appropriately manage wastewater, air emissions and solid waste;
prevent contamination and environmental harm;
maintain procedures for responding to environmental incidents and notifying relevant authorities where required;
seek opportunities to improve environmental performance; and
consider the potential impact of their operations on surrounding communities and ecosystems, including access to clean water.

2.9 Land Rights

Suppliers must respect legitimate land tenure and property rights.

Where acquiring, leasing or using land, suppliers are expected to undertake appropriate due diligence, comply with applicable laws and respect the rights of legitimate landholders and affected communities.

2.10 Waste Management

Suppliers should seek to prevent and reduce waste at its source and promote responsible reuse, recycling and recovery wherever practicable.

Appropriate controls must be implemented for waste that may affect land, air or water.

Air emissions, wastewater and solid waste generated through operations and manufacturing processes must be identified, monitored, controlled, treated and disposed of in accordance with applicable requirements.

Where hazardous waste or materials are present, suppliers must maintain appropriate handling procedures and emergency response arrangements.

2.11 Hazardous Substances

Chemicals and other substances that may pose a risk to people or the environment must be identified and appropriately managed.

Suppliers must implement controls for the safe handling, labelling, movement, storage, use, recycling, reuse and disposal of hazardous substances in accordance with applicable laws and recognised safety practices.

2.12 Packaging and Materials

Suppliers are encouraged to minimise unnecessary packaging and material use and to incorporate recycled, recyclable, reusable or responsibly sourced materials where appropriate and practicable.

Packaging must comply with applicable environmental, safety, labelling and product requirements.

2.13 Conservation of Resources

Suppliers should monitor their operations and seek opportunities to conserve natural resources, including water, energy, raw materials, productive land, flora and fauna.

Where relevant, suppliers should consider biodiversity and ecosystem impacts when planning and conducting their operations.

2.14 Energy Use and Emissions

Suppliers are encouraged to improve energy efficiency throughout manufacturing, production and delivery processes and to identify practical opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful emissions associated with their operations.

2.15 Product Content and Restricted Substances

Suppliers must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, standards and agreed Uniden Australia requirements concerning:

prohibited or restricted substances;
product composition and materials;
chemical and hazardous substance requirements;
product safety;
environmental and recycling requirements; and
applicable product, recycling and disposal labelling.

Suppliers are responsible for maintaining appropriate records and providing relevant declarations, certifications, test reports or other evidence of compliance where reasonably requested by Uniden Australia.

3. Supplier Compliance and Continuous Improvement

Uniden Australia expects suppliers to take reasonable steps to communicate the principles of this Policy throughout their own operations and supply chains.

Suppliers should maintain appropriate policies, procedures and records to demonstrate compliance with applicable laws and the principles of this Policy.

Where concerns are identified, Uniden Australia may request further information or appropriate corrective action. We recognise that responsible sourcing can require continuous improvement and, where appropriate, will seek to work constructively with suppliers to address identified issues within reasonable timeframes.

However, Uniden Australia reserves the right to reconsider, suspend or terminate a supplier relationship where a supplier is responsible for a serious breach, fails to appropriately address an identified issue, or demonstrates persistent non-compliance with applicable law or the principles of this Policy.

4. Raising Concerns

Uniden Australia encourages suppliers and other relevant stakeholders to raise concerns regarding suspected unethical, unlawful or inappropriate conduct connected with our supply chain.

Concerns will be considered in accordance with applicable Uniden Australia policies and legal requirements. Uniden Australia does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who raise genuine concerns in good faith.

5. Review

Uniden Australia may review and update this Ethical Sourcing Policy periodically to reflect changes in legislation, recognised standards, business practices and our approach to responsible sourcing.

Task Information