Ethical Code of Conduct

We acknowledge that our ethical policy is only the first step towards ensuring ethical business practices, and we are very committed to working with our suppliers, employees and other stakeholders to ensure that our ethical policies and practices are continuously reviewed and improved. We expect all our business partners and suppliers to comply with the Asiatic (London) Carpet Ltd ethical policies and practices.

Asiatic is committed to developing a policy of support for internationally recognised human rights and seeks to avoid complicity in any human rights abuses. We support the principles contained within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ILO Core Conventions on Labour Standards.

In addition, whilst the Modern Slavery Act 2015 statement requirement does not cover Asiatic at present, we are committed to any measures that can combat slavery and human trafficking, particularly when using global supply chains.

We remain committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking do not take place in our own business or in our supply chains. We seek to identify, assess and manage the human rights impacts within our spheres of influence and activities in line with our Human Rights and Modern Slavery policy.

We prohibit any exploitative labour practices or any associated criminal conduct.

• Risk assessments are conducted to understand vulnerability, raise awareness internally and externally to establish clear policies and due diligence on modern day slavery.
• We do not tolerate bonded, involuntary or forced labour.
• Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining is encouraged within the business.
• Workers are not required to lodge deposits or identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employment within the agreed reasonable notice period.

We do not permit the recruitment of children under the age of 15 years old.

• No children or young persons under the age of 18 is permitted to work during night shifts.
• No children or young persons under the age of 18 is permitted to work in dangerous or hazardous conditions that include chemicals, industrial machinery, forklifts, or heavy lifting.

Workers are provided with at least one day off in every seven-day period; holidays should be granted in accordance with local laws.

• Working hours should comply with local laws and collective agreements.
• All overtime is voluntary; overtime does not exceed 12 hours per week on a regular basis. Overtime is not used to replace regular contracted hours; workers are compensated at the premium rate according to local law.
• Working hours, excluding overtime, are defined by contract and do not exceed 48 hours per week on a regular basis.

All workers are provided with written and understandable information, in the local language, regarding their employment conditions with respect to wages, before they enter employment, including particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned and each time they are paid.

• The wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards, or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages are always enough to meet basic needs and provide some discretionary income.
• Deductions from wages are aligned with local legal law and no deductions are taken as disciplinary measures.

If workers are sourced from a third party, suppliers must ensure that the third party is reputable and (if required) properly licensed — for example under the Gangmasters Licensing Act 2004.

• Suppliers take reasonable steps to ensure that all workers supplied have the right to work in the country of operation and are engaged on terms that comply at least with minimum legal requirements in that country.
• Agencies are made aware of and give a written commitment to comply with this Code of Conduct.