The Company is committed to creating a harmonious working environment, in which every employee is treated with respect and dignity and our Customers, Suppliers and Contractors are also committed to working within the same code of business.

EC Products is therefore committed to the provisions of the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code as detailed below:

Employment is Freely Chosen

There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour. Employees are not required to lodge “deposits” or their identity papers with the Company and are free to leave the Company after reasonable notice.

Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining are Respected

Employees, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively. The Company adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities. Employee’s representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace. Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the Company facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

Working Conditions are Safe and Hygienic

A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment. Employees shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned employees. Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided. Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe and meet the basic needs of the employees. The company, observing the code, shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.

Child Labour Shall Not be Used

There shall be no recruitment of child labour. The Company shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child. Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions. These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant IL0 (International Labour Organisation) standards.

Living Wages are Paid

Wages and benefits paid for standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income. All employees shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions in respect of wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the express permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.

Working Hours are not Excessive

Working hours must comply with national laws, collective agreements, and the provisions below, whichever affords the greater protection for employees. The standards below are based on international labour standards. Working hours, excluding overtime, shall be defined by contract, and shall not exceed 48 hours per week. All overtime shall be voluntary. Overtime shall be used responsibly, taking into account all the following: the extent, frequency and hours worked by individual employees and the workforce as a whole. It shall not be used to replace regular employment. Overtime shall always be compensated at a premium rate, which is recommended to be not less than 125% of the regular rate of pay. The total hours worked in any seven-day period shall not exceed 60 hours, except where covered by the clause below. Working hours may exceed 60 hours in any seven-day period only in exceptional circumstances where all of the following are met:

• this is allowed by national law;
• this is allowed by a collective agreement freely negotiated with a worker’s organisation representing a significant portion of the workforce;
• appropriate safeguards are taken to protect the workers’ health and safety;
• the employer can demonstrate that exceptional circumstances apply, such as, unexpected production peaks, accidents or emergencies.
• Workers shall be provided with at least one day off in every seven-day period or, where allowed by national law, two days off in every 14-day period.

No Discrimination is Practiced

There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

Regular Employment is Provided

To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognised employment relationship through national law and practice. Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of sub-contracting or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

No Harsh or Inhumane Treatment is Allowed

Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited. The provisions of this code constitute minimum and not maximum standards and this code should not be used to prevent companies from exceeding these standards. Companies applying this code are expected to comply with national and other applicable law and where the provisions of law and this base code address the same subject, to apply that provision which affords the greater protection.

Conflict Minerals

EC Products condemns all activities in the raw material sector connected to illegal or unlawful exploitation of minerals and ores. As such, the company fully supports the goals of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to avoid the use of raw materials which directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.