HOMEWORKERS POLICY

Barbour acknowledges that homeworking is a necessary option for specific workers whose circumstances

compromise their ability to integrate with a manufacturing employer’s workforce, and would otherwise not gain

access to essential wages. All Business Partners are required to uphold local employment laws, and assure fair, safe

and dignified working conditions for all workers, including workers employed within their own homes, meeting the

Barbour Supply Chain Code of Conduct. Homeworkers are a vulnerable group of workers, and their rights and

conditions are to be equally upheld. Barbour does not prohibit homeworkers from the Supply Chain. Our

commitments to Transparency require all manufacturing partners to openly state the locations of manufacture of

all goods, and permit periodical assessments of homeworking conditions.

 

Requirements from Supply Chain Business Partners:

Requirements from Supply Chain Business Partners:

 

1. Transparency – all manufacturing units are required to declare how many homeworkers they employ:

a. in the SEDEX Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ);

b. to auditors when scheduling the social audit, to allow for sufficient audit time to include

     homeworkers assessment, with the assignment of extra days, suggested as

               i. 0.5 auditor day extra for 1-2 homeworkers assessment;

               ii. 1 auditor day extra for up to 5 homeworkers assessment;

               iii. an additional auditor day for every 5 homeworkers assessment;

               iv. to 100% homeworkers assessment for the initial audit;

               v. specific homeworkers audit, if more than 10% employee work from home;

     unless audit standards state alternative guidance;

c. providing the map of homeworkers throughout the Tiers, when requested, with an employee list

     (names, verified age, address, social insurance number, contact number, working patterns);

d. to Barbour and other clients at onboarding stage, and at any requested time.

2. Homeworker Management – working conditions are to be communicated to:

a. assure employer commitments via written/communicated contract, with specified pay timelines;

b. local labour department/authorities to help register homeworkers for relevant welfare schemes

     and social insurances, and to establish an external grievance channel;

c. homeworkers via an employers training of workplace rights, including how to access employer

    tools and how to negotiate reasonable targets, and record piecework tracking and working hours

    correctly, together with advice for safety protections for safeguarding others within the home

    from any homework activities’ potential impacts undertaken at the declared home site;

d. family members and the surrounding community via easy-read leaflets, highlighting that

    homeworkers cannot subcontract to family members, including children, and others (as a

    gangmaster), as a means of completing production targets.

3. Brand protection – all branded goods parts and commercial design information is to be assured

    confidentiality, and factory management shall not grant homeworking activity to workers/locations that

    may place brand protections at risk.

4. Raw materials bundles management - raw materials in and bundles out are to be accounted for and no

    branded parts or information are to remain in the home or to be placed in the hands of others. Means of

    transportation of parts and raw materials are to be arranged by the employer with assurances of brand

    protections.

5. Equipment used in the homeworking or offsite setting are to be employer-paid or provided, or promptly

    reimbursed at the next pay period if agreed upon, and adequate to the task.

 

February 2024