1. Ensure Fair Working Conditions:

Suppliers must comply with all local and national laws and registration related to labour practices, and ensure that workers are afforded the highest level of protection. Employment should be free of choosing. There must be no forced, bonded or involuntary workers providing labour. Employees are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice described by local and national law.

2. Ensure Child Labour is Not Used: 

There shall be no recruitment of child labour even if the child is a relative of a worker. A child is defined as a young person under the legal age in which that country's employment laws permit work, or under the age of 15 or below the age at which school attendance is compulsory under local law. 

3. Ensure Safe and Hygienic Work Conditions: 

A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of any type of position and work. Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers. Access to clean toilet facilities, clean drinking water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.

Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, well ventilated and meet the basic needs of the workers. Smoke areas shall be limited and located out of the factories (outdoor). Smoking, drugs and alcohol is not to be permitted during working hours.

4. Ensure Fair Living Wages Are Paid: 

Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmarks, whichever is higher All workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid. Deductions or penalties from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted. Any deductions from wages not provided for by national law shall not be permitted without expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded in writing.

5. Ensure Working and Overtime Hours Are Not Excessive and Comply With National Laws:

Overtime shall be voluntary and shall be paid in accordance with the relevant overtime rates applicable to that countries labour laws. Local law must be followed in terms of number of working days/days off. 

6. No Discrimination: 

Ensure there is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, managing, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national or other origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

7. No Bullying, Harsh or Inhumane Treatment: 

Manufacturers and suppliers shall treat their employees with dignity and respect. 

The threat of physical and/or mental abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation for any reason are prohibited.

8. Ensure Freedom of Association and The Right to Collective Bargaining is Respected:

Workers have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively. Worker’s representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace. Where the right of freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under the law, the employer facilitates and does not hinder the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

9. Legal Employment of Migrant Workers: 

Ensure compliance with immigration and labour laws in the country of employment.

10. Ensure Structural Safety:

Suppliers must cooperate and abide by the building regulations of the country .All buildings (including supplier sponsored dormitory builidngs) , equipment, fixtures and fittings are to be compliant with the countries safety standards to comply with building, fire and electrical safety standards.

Machinery must have all working safety barriers/rails and guards etc to ensure no workers are at risk of injury or life threatening incidents. .

Operating staff are to be given formal training of the how to operate the machinery in the correct safe guidelines.

11. Develop an Emergency Management Plan: 

Suppliers must also take all reasonable measures to develop, implement and communicate an Emergency Management Plan and a Workplace Safety Management System as outlined below. 

12. An Emergency Evacuation Plan is in Place:  

All workers must have easy and safe access to emergency exits and stairways, which should be clearly marked, unlocked and free of obstructions. Evacuation drills must be conducted on a regular basis, with trained supervisors designated to locations through the facility to ensure the safe, orderly and timely evacuation of workers.

13. Fire Extinguishers and / or Fire Hoses:  

Fire extinguishers and / or fire hoses must be on-site and inspected regularly to ensure they are in good working conditions. This plan must communicate that all workers have the right to remove themselves from imminent danger without first seeking permission.

14. Supplier Commitment to the Environment

Manufacturers and suppliers shall be committed at all times to protect the environment and must comply with the local and national laws related to environmental standards. 

15. Subcontracting

Manufacturers will not subcontract production for Merry People or components which contain the Meerry People Trademarks, Designs or logos without the Merry Peoples written consent, and only after the subcontractor has entered into a written commitment with Merry People to comply with this Code of Conduct  

16. Ethical Supplier Commitment

Supplier must take all reasonable measures to conduct their business activities in an ethical manner, without bribery, corruption or any type of fraudulent or unethical behaviour. Any conflict of interest between factory and nominated component maker or suppliers shall be reported to the CEO of Merry People.

17. Audits

Merry People has the right to to monitor compliance of this Code and to conduct audits to any and all suppliers and their supply chain partners involved on production for Merry People. Audits may occur with or without notice, shall be unrestricted and may include off site worker interviews.

18. Transparency 

Manufacturers and suppliers shall carry out their  activities in an honest, upright and transparent way, Keeping for these purposes an appropriate accounting records system that facilitates the traceability of their decision, as a preventive measure versus any type of corruption, bribe and extortion that might arise.

Manufacturers and suppliers shall not manipulate or influence their workers,nor shall they forge any field or records in order to alter the verification process regarding compliance with this Code.  

Manufacturers will take appropriate steps to ensure that the provision of this Code are communicated to employees, including the prominent posting of copy of this Code of Conduct in the local language and in a place readily accessible to employees, at all times.