INTRODUCTION

Our objective is to operate as a profitable and responsible machine manufacturer, whilst seeking to uphold social, ethical and environmental principles to our shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers and society as a whole.

To achieve our objective, we recognise that the activities conducted through our supply chain, can have an indirect impact on our social, ethical and environmental performance. Therefore, we wish to only work with reputable suppliers and manufacturers that can produce goods for us under “acceptable conditions”.  This means lawfully, through fair and honest dealing, without exploitation of the people who made them, with decent working conditions and with regard to the environment.

This Code of Conduct sets out to our suppliers, THE Machines basic requirements, which must be met in order to trade with us. A process of self-evaluation and inspection is in place to assure its proper and practical application.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPLIERS

We aim to pursue our business activities in what we consider to be an ethical and professional manner. Subject to the needs of our business, we aim to promote stable, sustainable, long-term relationships with our suppliers and other business partners. 

THE Machines intends to follow the principles of this Code within its own operations, and we have adopted social, ethical and environmental principles to this effect. We recognise that suppliers may need time to address areas in which they may not currently be in compliance, but we believe that compliance can be achieved through a process of continuous improvement.

LEGAL COMPLIANCE

We expect all of our suppliers to comply with their national laws and regulations and to respect the fundamental International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Where the Code or national law addresses the same issue, the supplier is expected, as a minimum, to be in compliance with the applicable legal requirements of the country in which it operates.

HEALTH & SAFETY

We expect our suppliers to provide a safe and healthy environment for their employees in accordance with applicable local laws and regulations. Appropriate procedures should be in place to prevent accidents and injury to health occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of employer facilities. Suppliers shall monitor the facility’s compliance with procedures.

REMUNERATION

THE Machines expects wages and benefits paid for a standard working week to meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is the higher. In any event, wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.

All personnel shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions and wages before they enter employment.

The particulars of their wages, for each pay period, should be detailed each time they are paid. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted.

WORKING HOURS

Suppliers are expected to comply with applicable local laws and industry standards on working hours. Suppliers should not, except in special circumstances or as permitted by local law, expect employees to work more than 45 hours per week and shall be provided with, on average, at least one day off every 7-day period.

We recognise that those in management positions may exceed these limits in the course of carrying out their roles and responsibilities. Also, in light of the seasonal nature of business, we recognise that suppliers’ employees may be expected in special circumstances to work longer hours for relatively short periods of time. Where this occurs, it should be in compliance with the regulations of the country of employment.

FORCED LABOUR

We expect that our suppliers and their supply chains will not permit the use of any forced labour, (including modern slavery and human trafficking), whether in the form of prison labour or indentured labour, bonded labour.

Forced labour should be considered to include any work or service which is extracted from any person under the threat of penalty for its non-performance and for which the worker does not offer himself or herself voluntarily.

CHILD LABOUR

We object to the employment of persons; ^l

• younger than 15 years of age, or higher where required by the law of the country.
• younger than the age for completing compulsory education.

In addition, employers must comply with all their local legal requirements for young workers, particularly those pertaining to hours of work, wages, health and safety and general working conditions.

A young worker is defined as any worker over the age of a child as defined above and under the age of 18 years old. Child labour is not acceptable.

HARASSMENT AND ABUSE

We expect that our suppliers will provide a safe workplace free from harassment, and they will not permit the use of monetary fines, corporal punishment or other forms of mental or physical abuse, coercion or intimidation.

ETHICS AND INTEGRITY

We expect that our suppliers will conduct business with integrity and communicate honestly regarding the nature of the products they supply.

Suppliers must respect the privacy and confidential information of their employees and business partners as well as protect data and intellectual property from misuse. The confidentiality of information exchanged in the course of business must be respected and never be used for illegal purposes or for individual gain. False information must not be given in the course of commercial negotiations.

BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

The offering, paying, soliciting or accepting of bribes or kickbacks, including facilitation payments will not be tolerated.

The Supplier represents and warrants that neither it nor any of its employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, or subcontractors has, made, offered, or agreed to make—and will not make, offer, or agree to make—any payment or transfer of value, including but not limited to services, gifts, or entertainment, either directly or indirectly, to: (i) any government official (including officers, employees, or representatives of state-owned enterprises or international public organizations); (ii) any officer, employee, representative, or agent of the Purchaser; (iii) any intermediary acting on behalf of any of the foregoing; or (iv) any other individual for the purpose of securing or influencing the award or execution of this Agreement, where such conduct would violate applicable anti-bribery or anti-money laundering

Suppliers are required to adhere strictly to the principles of fairness, transparency, and respect in all their activities. Labour relations must be managed in a manner that fosters open dialogue and mutual trust, creating an environment where concerns may be raised without fear of retaliation. All practices and procedures implemented must demonstrate a genuine commitment to professional ethics, ensuring the wellbeing and dignity of all individuals involved in the supply chain.

DISCRIMINATION

We expect that our suppliers will not discriminate on race, caste, origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union or political affiliation or age.

ENVIRONMENTAL

We encourage suppliers to have an Environmental Policy that is communicated to all employees and states the overall environmental objectives, a commitment to comply with local laws and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Materials used in the manufacturing process or end product should minimise, and where possible, eliminate releases to the environment in amounts that cause harm to human health or the environment.

Where practical, materials from sustainable and well-managed sources should be used. Suppliers should encourage recycling and take steps to minimise, and carefully dispose of, waste. We encourage the reduction of energy within our suppliers’ processes.

QUALITY

We expect goods to be supplied without fault and of the best available design, quality, materials and workmanship. They should conform in all respects with any order and specification and/or patterns or samples supplied and be fit for purpose.

Any services will be provided by appropriately qualified and trained personnel, with due care and diligence, to a high standard of quality and conform in all respects to any order.

COMMUNICATION

Suppliers are encouraged to take appropriate steps to ensure the provisions of this Code are communicated to their employees and their own supply chain.

Suppliers are also encouraged to ensure that the principles referred to above are adopted and applied by their employees, suppliers, agents and contractors so far as reasonably possible.

MONITORING

Suppliers are encouraged to institute a self-monitoring system based on this Code

SANCTIONS

Compliance with the requirements of the code will be monitored and the results notified to the relevant suppliers. In the event of failure to achieve the standards, a supplier may be given the opportunity to achieve them within a reasonable time to be agreed with THE Machines.

Whilst THE Machines will strive to ensure that all corrective actions are resolved through a successful partnership with suppliers and factories, if at the end of the agreed time, standards are not achieved, depending on the severity of the failure, THE Machines may stop trading with the supplier concerned.