Laird Superfood’s mission is to provide great tasting, high-quality, plant-based products that are healthy, convenient, affordable, and available to all. It is a priority for us to achieve the best possible practices for the respectful and ethical treatment of workers and promote sustainable conditions in which workers earn fair wages in safe and healthy, environmentally minded workplaces.
The Laird Superfood Supplier Workplace Code of Conduct (this “Code”) defines standards for fair, safe and healthy working conditions and environmental responsibility throughout our supply chain. All suppliers must commit to adhere to our Code.
Requirements in this Code apply to the whole supply chain, including sub-suppliers, sub‐contractors and farms. Standards equally apply to permanent, temporary, and agency workers, as well as piece-rate, salaried, hourly paid, legal young workers (minors), part time, night, and migrant workers.
We are committed to our community, and the communities of our suppliers. We seek suppliers committed to continuous ecological and social improvement. Our suppliers must agree to announced and unannounced visits. We expect all suppliers to make improvements when any of these Code standards are not met, and to develop sustainable management, reporting and tracking systems to ensure ongoing compliance.
We view ourselves as partners to our suppliers in this and all regards, and are here to collaborate, innovate, and hold ourselves and each other accountable as we collectively become better partners to our workers, communities, and the environment. Please never hesitate to reach out if there are aspects of this initiative we can assist in.
Thank you.
Your Partners,
Laird Superfood, Inc.
Laird Superfood Supplier Workplace Code:
LAW AND CODE COMPLIANCE: Our suppliers are expected to comply with and will be monitored to: (1) 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, (2) this Code, and (3) where applicable, collective bargaining agreements.
CHILD LABOR: No person shall be employed under the age of 15 or under the age for completion of compulsory education (unless such compulsory education is compatible with such work), whichever is higher. Juvenile workers (ages 15-17) shall not perform work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to compromise their health, or safety.
FORCED LABOR / ANIMAL LABOR: There shall be no use of forced labor, including prison, indentured, bonded, slave or other forms of forced labor. Acts of human trafficking are also prohibited. Suppliers are required to monitor any third party entity which assists them in recruiting or hiring employees, to ensure that people seeking employment at their facility are not compelled to work through force, deception, intimidation, coercion or as a punishment for holding or expressing political views.
Animal labor shall be only be used where ecologically sound and conventional in the region, in circumstances that are generally acceptable as humane (e.g., using a musk ox rather than a tractor to til soil). Under no circumstances may chimpanzees or simians be used for labor.
HARASSMENT, ABUSE AND DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES: Every employee shall be treated with respect and dignity. No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse or to monetary fines or embarrassing acts as a disciplinary measure.
DISCRIMINATION: No person shall be subject to any discrimination in any aspect of the employment, relationship including recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, work assignments, access to training, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of race, religious belief, color, gender, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identification, physical or mental disability, medical condition, illness, genetic characteristics, family care, marital status, status as a veteran or qualified disabled veteran (in the USA only), caste, socio-economic situation, political opinion, union affiliation, ethnic group, illness or any other classification protected under applicable law. All employment decisions must be made based on the principle of equal employment opportunity, and shall include effective mechanisms to protect migrant, temporary or seasonal workers against any form of discrimination.
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: Workers must be free to join organizations of their own choice. Suppliers shall recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining. All suppliers must develop and fully implement effective grievance mechanisms which resolve internal industrial disputes, employee complaints, and ensure effective, respectful and transparent communication between employees, their representatives and management.
EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP: Employers shall adopt and adhere to rules and conditions of employment that respect workers and, at a minimum, safeguard their rights under national and international labor and social security laws and regulations.
WAGES AND BENEFITS: We seek and favor suppliers who progressively raise employee living standards through improved wage systems, benefits, welfare programs and other services, which exceed legal requirements and enhance quality of life.
OVERTIME WAGES: In addition to compensation for regular working hours, employees must be compensated for overtime hours at the rate legally required in the country of manufacture or, in those countries where such laws do not exist, at a rate meaningfully exceeding the regular hourly compensation rate.
HOURS OF WORK: Suppliers shall not require workers to work more than the regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country where the workers are employed. Outside extraordinary circumstances, the regular work week shall not exceed 48 hours or the maximum allowed by the law of the country of manufacture, whichever is less. Outside extraordinary circumstances, employers shall allow workers at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every seven-day period. All overtime work shall be consensual.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: Suppliers shall provide a safe and healthy workplace to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of employers’ facilities. The employer shall take a proactive approach to health and safety by implementing policies, systems and training designed to prevent accidents, injuries and protect worker health.
ENVIRONMENT: Suppliers shall maintain written environmental policies and standards and must comply with all applicable environmental laws, our Code, and agree to be monitored separately for environmental responsibility. Factories shall continuously take a progressive approach to minimize negative impacts on the environment.
COMMUNITY: Laird Superfood encourages all suppliers and their employees to get involved in local social and environmental community charity efforts by volunteering time and/or providing other types of support. We seek long-term partnerships with suppliers that share these same philanthropic values.
SUBCONTRACTING: Laird Superfood does not permit subcontracting without our prior written approval.
All salesman-sample and bulk production orders must be placed within facilities that have been pre-approved by Laird Superfood, without exception. Direct suppliers are required to continuously monitor approved subcontractors and sub-suppliers for social and environmental responsibility using standards that meet or exceed our Code.
TRACEABILITY: Laird Superfood and our suppliers are jointly responsible for ensuring social and environmental responsibility and the integrity of our product content claims from the farm through the finished goods factory level. The only way to work towards this goal is to have transparency and traceability into all levels of our supply chain. Laird Superfood requires suppliers monitor their supply chain for compliance with this Code.
CONTACT US: If suppliers are violating any of these Code elements, we would like to know about it.
Please bring these issues to our attention at SUPPLIERCONDUCT@LAIRDSUPERFOOD.COM. Please feel free to write in your local language. All information we receive will be kept in strict confidence and your identity protected.
THIS CODE OF CONDUCT MUST BE POSTED NEXT TO EACH OTHER WITHIN THE FACTORY IN A CONSPICUOUS, FREELY ACCESSIBLE AREA IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE(S) OF THE EMPLOYEES