California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of ... - Reckitt Benckiser

Global Manufacturing Standards
Anti Slavery and Human Trafficking
Date: December 22, 2011
The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB 657) will go into effect on January 1, 2012. This act
requires manufacturers to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their supply chains.
Reckitt Benckiser mandates that all of our suppliers adhere to our Global Manufacturing Standard and adopt practices
that are consistent with it. This document discloses the efforts of Reckitt Benckiser to ensure the elimination of
slavery and human trafficking from our supply chains.
Managing our supply chain
Our Global Manufacturing Standard (GMS) mandates minimum requirements for employment conditions, labor
standards, health, safety and environmental management for both RB and our suppliers.
We have continued to assess suppliers (and ourselves) against our Global Manufacturing Standard (GMS), while also
working with other international companies to create a common approach to supplier assessment under the AIM-
PROGRESS initiative.
Global Manufacturing Standard (GMS)
Our Global Manufacturing Standard (GMS) is the basis for self-certification and audit against international standards
for human rights, working conditions, health and safety and environmental protection.
It is a standard part of our contracts with suppliers and covers seven specific, fundamental principles:
• No child labor – limitation of work by young workers.
• No forced labor.
• A safe and healthy working environment.
• Freedom of association.
• No discrimination – equal opportunities and rights.
• Reasonable terms and conditions of employment.
• Protection of the environment.
The GMS defines the minimum requirements that must be met by all facilities that manufacture, assemble or distribute
products on behalf of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc companies, including both our own and our third party suppliers’
facilities.
Reckitt Benckiser LLC
Morris Corporate Center IV
399 Interpace Parkway
Parsippany, NJ 07054-0225
T +1 973 404 2600
F +1 973 404 5700

We ensure that suppliers:
• Are frequently visited and audited (announced and un-announced) by senior and middle managers in our
R&D and Supply functions. They provide additional ‘eyes and ears’ and report potential issues they come
across. Reckitt Benckiser relies on internal visits and audits to verify compliance with our various
requirements and specifications. Currently, no third party or external auditors are utilized.
• Are required to comply with our GMS through the terms of our contract.
• May be subject to separate environmental and health and safety (EHS) inspections and audits where we
believe these are necessary.
Our GMS internal guidelines are communicated in the local business language, to ALL facilities / companies involved
in the manufacture, assembly and distribution of products on behalf of Reckitt Benckiser Group companies. We
require mandatory compliance by all Reckitt Benckiser manufacturing / distribution facilities; and all third-party product
manufacturing / assembly facilities.
Reckitt Benckiser provides training and maintains and enforces internal procedures for accountability for our
employees and contractors regarding company standards in slavery and human trafficking. Where there is noncompliance,
we will examine the specific situation and develop the best possible strategy for resolution.
Mandatory compliance requirements regarding human trafficking and
slavery:
• No child labor: the facility / company shall not engage in or support the use of child labor.
• If young workers are employed who are subject to local compulsory education laws or are attending school, the
facility / company shall facilitate educational provision, by:
- establishing, documenting, maintaining and effectively communicating to personnel procedures for
facilitating young workers education;
- implementing means to ensure that no such young worker is employed during school hours (except as
permitted under apprenticeships or other programs in which they are lawfully participating) and that
combined hours of work and school do not exceed 10 hours a day.
- ensuring a safe working environment: the facility / company shall not expose young workers to situations
that are deemed to be particularly hazardous or at a high risk of being unsafe or unhealthy.
• No forced / bonded / involuntary labor: the facility / company shall not engage in, use or support the use of forced,
bonded or involuntary prison labor;
• The facility / company shall not require (or allow any providers of temporary / contracted labor to require)
personnel to lodge ‘deposits’ or identity papers in connection with their employment.
• Workers shall be free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.
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Business Conduct
Our Code of Conduct sets out the principles and ethical values we want to uphold. It is available at: www.rb.com.
Senior managers across the company are required by Internal Audit to report and sign-off on compliance with the
Code every year. The Board Audit Committee monitors the findings of this certification process.
Human and labor rights
We believe human rights at work are an absolute and universal requirement. In countries where we operate we aim to
support progress on human rights issues in accordance with what can reasonably be expected from a commercial
organization.
We subscribe to the principal international standards and guidelines for human rights and working conditions. Our
Code of Conduct and Global Manufacturing Standard enshrine our approach to protecting human and labor rights at
work.
International standards and guidelines
We subscribe to a range of International standards and guidelines relating to sustainability and corporate
responsibility, including:
• the United Nations (UN) Declaration of Human Rights: www.un.org
• the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Fundamental Conventions: www.ilo.org.
The intent of these standards and guidelines, along with others such as the social accountability standard SA8000:
www.sa-intl.org , are incorporated in the Company’s Code of Conduct and other elements of our Corporate
Responsibility Framework, such as our Global Manufacturing Standard.
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