Telecom Labour Conditions and Human Rights Question 1

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Question

Does the brand (company) have a supplier Code of Conduct (CoC) which includes the following standards: No forced or slave labour, no child labour, no discrimination of any kind and a safe and hygienic workplace?

  • Dutch version: Heeft het merk (bedrijf) een Code of Conduct (CoC) voor toeleveranciers waarin de volgende standaarden staan vermeld: Geen gedwongen arbeid, geen kinderarbeid, geen discriminatie van welke aard dan ook en een veilige en hygiënische werkplek?
  • German version: Hat die Marke/das Unternehmen einen Verhaltenskodex (Code of Conduct, CoC), in dem folgende Standards eingeschlossen sind: keine Zwangs- oder Sklavenarbeit, keine Kinderarbeit, keine Diskriminierung jeglicher Art sowie ein sicherer und hygienischer Arbeitsplatz?

References

Telecom companies are service and network providers, but also play an important role in the sales and distribution of ICT hardware, for example mobile phones, routers and modems. These appliances may be purchased directly from the manufacturers and carry the Telecom company brandname, or it may be procured from other electronic brand companies like Samsung and Nokia.

According to reports like Fair Phones: It’s your call and Computer Connections of the Netherlands based research centre SOMO, there are regular human rights and labour violations in factories where electronic materials are produced, and improvement and monitoring efforts are mostly lacking in the industry. For that reason we ask telecom brands as a first step if there is a Code of Conduct (CoC) with these most basic labour standards. This CoC should be applicable to suppliers in low-wage (high risk) countries, where labour rights are at stake.

As indicated in the report Computer Connections, standards for labour conditions in the electronics supply should be based on the conventions and recommendations of the International Labour Organization ILO. The standards concerning forced labour and slave (bonded) labour are based on the Conventions 29 and 105. The standard concerning the minimum employment age (i.e. no child labour) is based on ILO Convention 138 and 182. The standard on no discrimination is based on ILO conventions 100 and 111, and the right to a safe and hygienic workplace is based on ILO convention 155.

Ranking guidelines

These ranking guidelines are similar to the guidelines in Electronics and ICT hardware Question 1

A 'Yes' is applicable when:

  • All four of these standards are clearly mentioned. In the remark section please mention where you exactly found the statements (if found on more pages, please mention the page number per standard).
    • If a brand is member of an initiative that requires adherence to an industry-wide CoC, these standards are all mentioned in the EICC, CEDEC, and SA8000 CoC's (see answering guidelines below).
  • All the brand products are made in ‘low risk’ countries as defined by Made-By.

A '?' is applicable when:

  • A CoC could not be found on the brands website and they are not a member of an initiative (such as EICC) that requires compliance with an industry CoC.
  • A company states that 'light work' is allowed for children. For example when no reference is made to the ILO Convention 29, or when conditions are added to this standard (that the light work doesn't interfere with education, health and development).

- NOTE: When a brand is a member of an acknowledged Multi Stakeholder Initiative, but the brand has also published its own CoC on the website, the brand's CoC is decisive.

Answering guidelines

Answer Yes:

  • [Brand] is a member of the EICC and has adopted the EICC Code of Conduct (CoC) (see page ...). For EICC CoC, see link to questions 2&3 below. In the EICC CoC all standards are mentioned (see page 2-4).
  • [Brand] has adopted the CEDEC Code of Conduct (CoC) (see link). For CEDEC CoC, see link to questions 2&3 below. In the CEDEC CoC all standards are mentioned (see page 3).
  • [Brand] follows the SA8000 standards (see [...]). For Code of Conduct (CoC) SA8000, see link questions 2&3 below. In this CoC, all these standards are mentioned.
  • All products are made in [...], which [is a low risk country / are low risk countries] as defined by MADE-BY.

Answer ?:

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