1. Introduction
At Collectiv Food, we are building the food ecosystem of tomorrow, starting with an
efficient and sustainable food supply chain serving the heart of our cities. Collectiv
Food's Producer Code of Conduct is designed to ensure that our company's
suppliers are aligned with our mission, ensuring safe working conditions, and
increasingly implementing environmentally responsible practices.
1.1 Scope and expectations
As a condition of doing business with Collectiv Food, suppliers must comply with
this Code of Conduct. Requirements in this Code apply to the whole supply chain,
including companies of all sizes and all workers, such as sub-suppliers and
subcontractors. Collectiv Food also expects suppliers to follow procedures
described in its Code of Conduct to ensure responsible business conduct aligned
with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
Suppliers are expected to adopt systems to track and report on their sustainability
efforts and will be required to provide proof of compliance in instances of
non-conformance. Where issues arise, Collectiv Food will work with suppliers to
resolve them collaboratively. This could include guidance, training, and resources to
help implement improvements.
Please note that we understand that improvements take time, so we encourage
suppliers to use a step-by-step approach and to reach out for guidance where
needed. We also provide incentives for suppliers who demonstrate compliance,
such as improved trade terms and additional marketing support (e.g. Better
Choices).
1.2 Definitions
Sections in the Code of Conduct fit into one of the following two categories, and has
the associated consequences:
Zero Tolerance Violation
A Zero Tolerance (ZT) violation is one that is a serious breach of Collectiv
Food's Code of Conduct that results in severe impact to individual rights, life,
safety and/or Collectiv Food's reputation. Suppliers found with a ZT violation
will have all orders cancelled and the relationship terminated immediately.
Immediate Action
An Immediate Action (IA) Item is one that is a breach of Collectiv Food's Code
of Conduct that results in negative impact to individual rights, safety and/or
Collectiv Food's reputation.
2. Compliance
Law and Code Compliance
Our suppliers are expected to comply with (1) all relevant and applicable laws and
regulations of the country in which workers are employed including those at the
national, state/provincial and local community levels, (2) our Producer Code of
Conduct, (3) Collective Bargaining Agreements (where applicable; see below 4.2)
(4) and as a food or drink supplier, to provide evidence at least annually of managing
social and environmental risks in the supply chain.
3. Labour
3.1 Forced labour
Forced or compulsory labour is considered all work or services that a person has
not offered to do voluntarily and is made to do under the threat of punishment or
retaliation, or is demanded as a means of repayment of debt. There shall be no use
of forced labour, including prison, indentured, bonded, slave or other forms of forced
labour, defined as such:
● Prison Labour: work, performed by individuals incarcerated by either the state
or military that is a requirement of their sentence and usually without
compensation.
● Indentured Labour: work, performed by an individual contractually bound to
an employer for a specific time period, which is usually in return for payment
of travel and living expenses.
● Bonded Labour: an illegal practice in which employers give high-interest loans
to workers who either individually or as an entire family then labour at low
wages to pay off the debt.
ZT Violation
● All forms of prison or forced labour are prohibited.
● All acts of human trafficking are prohibited.
● Suppliers must not subcontract work to prisons.
IA Item
● Any restrictions for workers to voluntarily end their employment, such as
excessive notice periods or substantial fines for terminating their
employment contracts, are prohibited.
● All labour contracts must meet legal requirements.
● Security must not be allowed to intimidate or restrict worker movements.
● Suppliers must not restrict or limit in any way employee access to
religious facilities, toilets or drinking water. Overtime work must be strictly
voluntary.
3.2 Child Labour
No person shall be employed under the age of 15 or under the age for completion of
compulsory education, whichever is higher. Juvenile workers (ages 15-17) shall not
perform work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is
likely to compromise their health, safety or morals (ILO Convention 138 and 182).
3.3 Employment of Young Workers
Employers shall comply with all relevant laws that apply to young workers, (e.g.
those between the minimum working age and the age of 18) including regulations
related to hiring, working conditions, types of work, hours of work, proof of age
documentation, and overtime.
3.4 Hazardous Work for Young Workers
No person under the age of 18 shall undertake hazardous work, i.e. work which, by its
nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health,
safety or morals of persons under the age of 18.
4. Harassment, Abuse, and Disciplinary Practices
Every employee shall be treated with respect and dignity. No employee shall be
subject to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse or to
monetary fines or embarrassing acts as a disciplinary measure.
4.1 Discrimination
No person shall be subject to any discrimination in any aspect of the employment
relationship. All employment decisions must be made based on the principle of
equal employment opportunity, and shall include effective mechanisms to protect
migrant, temporary or seasonal workers against any form of discrimination (ILO
Conventions 100 and 111).
ZT Violation
● Discrimination in any form is prohibited.
● Practices that use religion, sex, ethnicity or national origin, disability,
political affiliation, social status, sexual orientation, actual or perceived HIV
status or legal migrant worker status as a basis for the above are
prohibited.
● Suppliers must not require female applicants or workers to be tested for
pregnancy. Female workers returning from maternity leave must be given
an equivalent position and equal pay.
● Suppliers must make reasonable accommodations in job conditions for
pregnant women.
4.2 Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
Workers must be free to join organisations of their own choice. Suppliers shall
recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and
collective bargaining. We highly recommend that all suppliers develop and fully
implement effective grievance mechanisms which resolve internal industrial
disputes, employee complaints, and ensure effective, respectful and transparent
communication between employees, their representatives and management (ILO
Conventions 87, 98 and 135).
5. Grievance mechanisms
5.1 Worker grievances
All workers, and migrant workers in particular, should have access to grievance
mechanisms that allow them to voice concerns without fear of punishment or
retribution.
5.2 Collectiv Food grievances
Formal complaints from suppliers related to practices carried out by Collectiv Food
should be reported in the following manner:
1. Description of the time and issue as well as the person or people involved
from Collectiv Food
2. Email the description to purchasing@collectivfood.com within 7 days of the
occurrence of the issue. A response can be expected within 14 days of
receipt of the complaint.
3. If the issue has not been rectified within the above process, the complaint
should be forwarded to our Senior Management
(senior-management@collectivfood.com). A response can be expected
within 7 days of receipt.
6. Health and Safety
6.1 Workplace
Suppliers shall provide a safe and healthy workplace to prevent accidents and injury
to health arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work or as a result
of the operation of employers' facilities. The employer shall take a proactive
approach to health and safety by implementing policies, systems and training
designed to prevent accidents, injuries and protect worker health (ILO Convention
155).
6.2 Product
In addition, suppliers are expected to provide evidence of ensuring product safety,
including but not limited to providing up-to-date food safety certifications and
audit outcomes.
7. Traceability
We are the antidote to the often deliberately obscure supply chain. Our
commitment to transparency means we do not hide costs, charge opaque mark ups
or deal in mislabeled products. However, we recognise that Collectiv Food and our
suppliers are jointly responsible for ensuring social and environmental responsibility
and the integrity of our product/service content claims.
Collectiv Food reserves the right to randomly review the supplier's policies,
procedures or any other document related to adherence to this Code. As a
minimum, suppliers are required to provide a documented HACCP procedure, the
address of production or manufacture as well as the country(ies) of origin for
products sold to Collectiv Food at the point of product approval. In some cases,
Collectiv Food may require an on-line or on-site audit of a supplier's adherence to
this Code.
8. Environmental and social impact management
Collectiv Food is committed to promoting sustainable practices within the food
industry, recognising that our food system is responsible for a third of global
greenhouse gas emissions and employs a significant portion of the world's
workforce. In line with these impacts, we expect our suppliers to embrace
sustainable practices that respect the planet's finite resources and support the
well-being of their workers. We encourage suppliers to continually advance
environmental stewardship and fair labour practices, working with us to protect our
natural environment and build a resilient food system for future generations.
All trading food and drink suppliers are assessed on the most significant material
risks as they relate to the environment and people. Material risks on which food and
drink suppliers are assessed are based on a materiality assessment. In all cases, the
company should be aware of and able to demonstrate compliance with all current
legislation that may affect its activities. Suppliers should also expect:
● A request for evidence within the first month of trading to complete their
required sustainability assessment and an annual request thereafter
● A maximum of 12 weeks to complete the required sustainability assessment.
Failure to comply with this requirement will result in escalation with Collectiv
Food's Buying function who will decide whether trade will continue
● Results of sustainability assessments will be accessible to clients of Collectiv
Food unless the supplier says otherwise
● Collectiv Food will increasingly work towards providing resources for
improvements across specific environmental or social impact issues on
which suppliers are assessed
9. Animal welfare
Where applicable, suppliers must abide by legal minimum requirements for animal
welfare and work towards adopting healthy and humane practices towards animals
based on best available technology and standards. Collectiv Food does not work
with HMC Halal-certified suppliers, as HMC certification prohibits pre-stunning,
which is considered a more humane practice because it minimises the pain and
distress animals may experience during slaughter. Pre-stunning aligns with our
commitment to animal welfare by ensuring that animals are treated with care and
respect throughout their life cycle.
10. Monitoring, compliance and accountability
Collectiv Food requires suppliers to confirm adherence to this code, thereby
acknowledging the requirements contained within. Where requested, Collectiv Food
requires suppliers to be able to demonstrate how requirements are being met.
Collectiv Food operates a policy of transparency with suppliers and will work
collectively with suppliers to ensure adherence to the Code and support
improvement programs.
11. Continuous Improvement
We view this Code as a tool for continuous improvement. Collectiv Food is
committed to helping suppliers improve their sustainability and ethical practices.
We encourage an open dialogue and will provide ongoing support to suppliers who
are actively working towards better environmental, social, and ethical practices.