Human Rights and Labour Policy
At Smudge & Friends Petcare Limited t/a Scrumbles, our commitment to human rights and fair labour practices is integral to our identity as a responsible and ethical pet food company. We uphold these principles to foster a positive and sustainable impact on our employees, communities, and the world around us. We recognize our responsibility to respect and promote fundamental human rights, fair labour practices, and ethical treatment of workers across our supply chain.
This Human Rights and Labour Policy outlines our commitment to these principles and guides our actions as a responsible pet food company based in the United Kingdom, to which all employees are entitled, irrespective of the country in which they work. This policy applies globally to the management, employees, and any contract workers of any entity in the Smudge & Friends Petcare Limited Group.
1. Respect for Human Rights
We are dedicated to promoting and respecting the fundamental human rights of all individuals involved in our business operations, including employees, stakeholders, suppliers and other third parties. We are committed to adhering to the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international conventions, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Core Conventions, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
2. Fair Labour Practices
We believe in creating a safe, healthy, and inclusive work environment that fosters dignity, respect, and fairness for all employees. Our commitment to fair labour practices includes:
Non-Discrimination: We prohibit discrimination in all its forms, including but not limited to race, colour, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other protected status, in our hiring, promotions, compensation, and treatment of employees.
Freedom of Association: We respect the right of employees to join or form associations or trade unions of their choice and engage in collective bargaining as permitted by law.
Child Labour: We strictly prohibit the use of child labour in our operations and supply chain. We comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding the minimum working age.
Forced Labour: We prohibit all forms of forced or compulsory labour, including modern slavery and human trafficking. We do not tolerate any practices that violate individuals’ freedom to work by their own choice.
Working hours, wages & benefits: We ensure all employees are paid at least in accordance with applicable laws regarding minimum wage, benefits, and working hours, and aim to provide fair and competitive compensation.
Health & Safety: We are committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment and comply with all applicable health and safety laws and regulations.
3. Responsibility
At Board level, the CEO has overall responsibility for this policy, supported by senior leadership to ensure effective implementation and oversight.
Managers are responsible for promoting human rights and ensuring their respective direct reports are appropriately trained.
All employees are responsible for ensuring that their own actions do not impair the human rights of others and are encouraged to raise concerns through accessible and confidential reporting channels, without fear of retaliation.
We extend our commitment to human rights and fair labour practices to our suppliers. We work collaboratively with suppliers and apply a risk-based approach to assess, monitor, and address potential human rights risks within our supply chain.
Supplier Code of Conduct: We expect our suppliers to adhere to our Supplier Code of Conduct, which outlines the ethical, social, and environmental expectations we have for them, and to implement appropriate policies and controls within their own operations and supply chains.
Due Diligence: We conduct proportionate and risk-based due diligence to identify, prevent, and mitigate human rights risks. Where issues are identified, we work with suppliers to implement corrective actions and reserve the right to terminate relationships in cases of serious or persistent non-compliance.
Remediation: Where we identify that we have caused or contributed to adverse human rights impacts, we are committed to providing or cooperating in appropriate remediation.
4. Continuous Improvement
We are dedicated to continuous improvement in our human rights and labour practices. We regularly review and update our policies, procedures, and practices to align with emerging best practices and legal requirements.
5. Communication and Training
We communicate our Human Rights and Labour Policy to all employees, contractors, and stakeholders, and provide appropriate training to ensure awareness and understanding of the policy's principles.