Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI)

The Stockmann Group has been a member of BSCI since 2005. Amfori BSCI is a business-driven initiative for companies committed to improving working conditions in factories and farms worldwide. To better respond to supply chain challenges, a revised version of the BSCI Code of Conduct was adopted at the beginning of 2014. The BSCI code sets out 11 core labour rights which the participating companies and their business partners undertake to incorporate in their supply chain in a step-by-step development approach.

Principles of the BSCI Code of Conduct (2014):

1. The rights of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
2. No Discrimination
3. Fair Remuneration
4. Decent Working Hours
5. Occupational Health and Safety
6. No Child Labour
7. Special Protection for Young Workers
8. No Precarious Employment
9. No Bonded Labour
10. Protection of the Environment
11. Ethical Business Behaviour

The policy combines businesses and forms the basis for cooperation with other companies that buy products from the same suppliers and producers. This is valuable because suppliers and producers typically produce products for several different brands and one brand's share of total production is not significant.

At the Stockmann Group we actively communicate about the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct to our suppliers and producers, and we cooperate with them to ensure a better chance of improving working conditions in our supply chains.

Factories where Stockmann and Lindex own brand products are produced that are in countries classified as high-risk by the amfori BSCI, are regularly audited by our own audits, conducted by our own local personnel, and by amfori BSCI audits conducted by a third party. The SA 8000 (Social Accountability 8000) certificate is considered a best practice by the amfori BSCI initiative and as an alternative to the amfori BSCI audit.

To improve audit quality, amfori BSCI audits are semi-announced by default, providing producers a four-week time frame during which the audit will take place, instead of the exact date of the audit. In addition, the organization has started a major program to ensure the quality of audits (Audit Integrity Program).

Factory audits