Ethical Sourcing Policy

Smart Records Group and its subsidiary companies including Archive Boxes Australia, Smart Storage, Smart Stack and BoxIT are committed to building a business which sources products in an ethical and socially responsible manner.

Updated 30th June 2021

Policy Goal

The aim of this policy is to ensure that Smart Records Group sources products in an ethical and socially responsible manner.

Scope

Our Ethical Sourcing Policy applies to all products that are sold in connection with Smart Records Group’s business activities.

Overview

To ensure that Smart Records Group meets its policy goal, it has developed a Responsible Sourcing Policy which sets out our core values. These values are integral to how Smart Records Group does business and we expect our suppliers to respect and promote these values in their factories throughout the world.

Core to these values are prohibition of child labour and forced labour, prohibition of harassment, payment of legal minimum wage, provision of a healthy and safe working environment, freedom of association and collective bargaining and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries in which these factories operate.

In addition, by signing up to the policy, suppliers must agree to use best endeavours to responsibly source all raw materials.

Smart Records Group acknowledges that sourcing products in an ethically and socially responsible manner will involve a long road of continuous improvement, but we have started along that road and are committed to the journey.

Smart Records Group's Sourcing Rules

The Smart Record Group Ethical Sourcing Policy can be summarised as:

No Child Labour – Suppliers must not employ a worker under the minimum age according to national laws, and in any event not employ workers under 14 years.
No Forced Labour – Suppliers shall not allow any forced or involuntary labour.
No Harassment or Abuse – Suppliers must provide a work environment free of harassment, unlawful discrimination and free of corporate punishment in any form.
No Excessive Overtime – Suppliers must ensure that the hours worked each day, and days worked each week, are within legally accepted maximums. Any overtime worked must be voluntary.
No Bribery or Corruption – Suppliers must apply professional business ethics to all their dealings and maintain transparent documentation and records.
Appropriate Compensation and Benefits – All suppliers must agree to pay at least the minimum total compensation required by local law, including all mandated wages, allowances and benefits.
Compliance with Laws – Suppliers must meet their contractual obligations to Smart Records Group and their own suppliers and comply with all applicable local/national laws and regulations
Healthy and Safe Work Place – Suppliers shall provide a safe and healthy work place as per minimum requirements of the local and regional laws.
Freedom of Association – Suppliers must recognise and respect the rights of employees to exercise their lawful rights of free association and collective bargaining.
Environment – Facilities operated by suppliers must comply with environmental rules, regulations and standards applicable to their operations. Suppliers must observe environmentally conscious practices in all locations where they operate.
Sub-Contractors – Suppliers must ensure that all sub-contractors and suppliers providing materials or labour in the manufacture of products for Smart Records Group have an ethical sourcing programme which aligns to the Smart Records Group Ethical Sourcing Policy.
Compliance – Suppliers must confirm their understanding of a commitment to the Smart Records Group Responsible Sourcing Policy.

Policy Enforcement

All new suppliers are required to confirm their understanding of and commitment to the Sourcing Rules as part of the onboarding process.

All existing suppliers are required to submit an annual declaration confirming their continuing commitment to the Sourcing Rules.

As part of the policy, suppliers are required to provide Smart Records Group with a list of their factory locations at the start of each calendar year and provide Smart Records Group copies of current factory audits (WRAP, BSCI, ICTI, SEDEX, SA 800). For factories with no current accreditation, Smart Records Group reserves the right to undertake an announced factory audit. The purpose of these factory audits is to ensure that suppliers understand and adhere to the Sourcing Rules.

Where suppliers are found to be in breach of the Sourcing Rules, but Smart Records Group believes that the breach can be rectified, Smart Records Group will work with the supplier to ensure that corrective action is taken and improvements are made. Breaches involving child or forced labour are not tolerated and will result in immediate termination of the supplier.