amfori BSCI

Code of Conduct
This updated version of the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct aligns with the amfori’s 2024 brand guidelines;however, the content
remains consistent with the version 2021. Any updates pertain solely to design and branding elements.

2021
Contents

Introduction�������������������������������������������������������������������������������3
Values���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
Principles����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Terms of Implementation������������������������������������������������������� 12
References������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13
Glossary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 13
Signatory����������������������������������������������������������������������������������14

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 2

Introduction
Introduction
The amfori BSCI Code of Conduct is a commitment document for amfori members and their
business partners to exercise human rights due diligence and environmental protection in their
global supply chains in line with internationally recognised principles.

This document gives a direction to the amfori amfori members and their business partners,
members and their business partners in order including upstream and downstream producers,
to conduct responsible business, and to intermediaries and those involved in worker
identify, prevent, mitigate, account for and recruitment processes, can become signatories
remediate adverse human rights, as well of the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct. Throughout
as environmental, impacts in their supply this document, the term “signatories” will be used
chains. It is supported and supplemented by synonymously to refer to amfori members and
the amfori BSCI System Manual, amfori Member their business partners.
Commitment Programme, and the amfori
This version of the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct
Sustainability Platform. This document, and all
has been approved by amfori, and overrules all
the supporting and supplementary material,
previous versions of the amfori BSCI Code of
integrates the characteristics of due diligence
Conduct in all its translations. The English version
as listed by the Organisation for Economic Co-
of this document is the legally binding one.
operation and Development (OECD).

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 3

Values

The amfori BSCI Code of Conduct, as well as its By endorsing the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct,
supporting documents and tools, are based on, the signatories confirm that their commitment
and refer to: will follow the values below:
• United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of • Continuous improvement: The signatories
Human Rights undertake to implement the amfori BSCI
• International Labour Organization (ILO) Code of Conduct in a holistic approach,
Conventions and Recommendations embedded in their management systems and
• UN Guiding Principles on Business and company culture, to ensure the continuous
Human Rights (UNGP) improvement of due diligence within
• OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises their organisations and supply chains in a
• UN Children’s Rights and Business Principles progressive manner.
• Gender Dimensions of the UN Guiding
• Cooperation: The signatories will have
Principles on Business and Human Rights
a greater impact on, and better chance
• OECD Sectoral Guidance Documents
of identifying, preventing, mitigating and
remediating human rights and environmental
violations in their organisations and supply
chains by working together and taking a
holistic approach to due diligence. The spirit
of cooperation is crucial in the engagement
between the signatories and stakeholders at
different levels, particularly to create leverage.
amfori supports the signatories by creating
relevant and meaningful partnerships.
• Empowerment: A central aim for amfori
is to enable its signatories to develop their
organisations and empower supply chains in
a way that respects human rights and enables
continuous improvement. To this end, amfori
provides the needed tools, and expects its
signatories to use and cascade these tools
within their organisations and supply chains.

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 4

• Code observance: Complying with national • Transparency: The signatories commit to
legislation is the first obligation of business being transparent:
enterprises. In countries where the national
With each other, with amfori and with any
legislation sets a different standard of
third party involved as relevant (e.g. auditors,
protection than the amfori BSCI Code of
quality partners), and within the context of
Conduct and its references, the signatories
identification, prevention, and remediation
shall abide by the principles that provide the
of adverse human rights and environmental
highest protection to the workers and the
impacts. The signatories actively inform each
environment, without contradicting the legal
other and amfori on any critical incident, as
framework of the country.
well as the effectiveness of any responses to
• Protection of vulnerable persons: The an adverse impact to values and principles of
signatories commit to the protection and the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct,
empowerment of vulnerable individuals,
Through reasonable disclosure to
and members of vulnerable groups and
shareholders, stakeholders, and governments
communities, to the best of their influence.
regarding their impacts on the supply chain
The signatories understand that vulnerability
and in the surrounding communities, in line
can depend on the context, and certain
with national legislation requirements where
individuals, groups, and communities may be
available.
vulnerable in more than one aspect.

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 5

Principles

The amfori BSCI Code of Conduct and its partners to work towards full observance of
values are implemented through the set of the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct within the
principles as explained below: sphere of their influence, including interme-
diaries that are involved in the worker recruit-
Social Management System ment process, such as brokers, recruiters and
recruitment agencies,
and Cascade Effect
• Include all workers in their due diligence,
The signatories commit to: especially the vulnerable parts in their supply
• Adopt and publicly communicate a written chain such as home-based workers, small-
human rights policy statement, in line with the holders, as well as temporary and migrant
complexity and size of operations, approved workers; identify the challenges at these lev-
at the most senior level, els, and partner with amfori and other relevant
stakeholders for improvements,
• Implement a process- and risk-based due dil-
igence management system in their business • Have the strategy, processes, and sufficient
practices in line with the UNGPs, and adjusted resources in place to meet the responsibilities
to the business model of the company. The related to the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct
expectations set in this Code of Conduct and ensure that there is continuous improve-
should be embedded in the system, ment in its implementation,

• Actively communicate their endorsement of • Exercise responsible and gender-responsive

the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct through all purchasing practices, and avoid putting their
the functions in their company, as well as to business partners in a position that prevents
their business partners and relevant stake- them from adhering to the amfori BSCI Code
holders, of Conduct.

• Train and incentivize all relevant departments Workers Involvement and

and individuals in a manner that allows them
to integrate the principles of responsible and
Protection
gender-responsive business and purchasing The signatories commit to:
practices in the company culture, and cas- • Establish responsible and gender-respon-
cade it to their business partners, sive management practices that involve all
• Require their business partners to cascade workers and their representatives in sound
the information to the relevant business part- information exchange on the due diligence
ners and stakeholders in the supply chain, process,
• Require and follow-up with their business

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 6

• Define long-term goals to protect workers in • Not prevent workers’ representatives and re-
line with the aspirations of the amfori BSCI cruiters from having access to workers in the
Code of Conduct, workplace or from interacting with them,
• Take specific steps, such as trainings, to make • Respect this principle by allowing workers to
workers aware of their rights and responsi- freely elect their own representatives with
bilities, with special attention to vulnerable whom the company can enter into dialogue
persons. When relevant, intermediaries such about workplace issues, when operating in
as brokers, recruiters, and recruitment agen- countries where trade union activity is unlaw-
cies should play an active role in achieving ful or where free and democratic trade union
these steps, activity is not allowed.
• Build sufficient competence among the man-
No Discrimination, Violence
agers, workers, and worker representatives
within their company, as well as in the supply or Harassment
chain, in order to embed the amfori BSCI The signatories commit to:
Code of Conduct in their company culture,
• Treat all workers with respect and dignity,
and promote continuous education and train-
ing at each level of work, • Ensure that workers are not subject to any
form of violence, harassment, and inhumane
• Establish or participate in effective operation-
or degrading treatment in the workplace, as
al-level grievance mechanisms for individu-
well as threats of violence and abuse, includ-
als and communities who may be adversely
ing corporal punishment, verbal, physical,
impacted, and maintain accurate records. The
sexual, economic or psychological abuse,
operational-level grievance mechanism must
mental or physical coercion, or other forms of
be in line with UNGP Article 31. Where rele-
harassment or intimidation,
vant (e.g. when a migrant worker population
is present), the operational-level grievance • Understand the possible grounds for dis-
mechanism should be accessible in relevant crimination in their specific context, and not
local languages, and should allow to address discriminate or exclude persons based on sex,
and remedy the issues effectively across gender, age, religion, race, caste, birth, social
jurisdictions through partnerships and coordi- background, disability, ethnic and national
nation. origin, nationality, membership in unions or
any other legitimated organisations, political
affiliation or opinions, sexual orientation, fam-
The Rights of Freedom of ily responsibilities, marital status, pregnancy,
diseases, or any other condition that could
Association and Collective give rise to discrimination,
Bargaining • Establish disciplinary procedures in writing
The signatories commit to: and explain them verbally to workers in terms
and language which they understand. The
• Respect the right of workers to form and join
disciplinary measures must be in line with
trade unions – or to refrain from doing so –
national legislation,
and bargain collectively, in a free and demo-
cratic way, without distinction whatsoever and • Provide gender-sensitive and equal opportu-
irrespective of gender, nities and treatment throughout recruitment
and employment,
• Ensure meaningful representation of all work-
ers, without distinction whatsoever and irre- • Verify that workers are not harassed, disci-
spective of gender, plined, or retaliated upon for reporting issues
on any of the grounds listed above.
• Not discriminate against workers because of
trade union membership,

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 7

Fair Remuneration industry benchmark standards or collective
agreements within the international frame-
The signatories commit to: work set out by the ILO, and promote working
• Comply, as a minimum, with wages mandated hour practices that enable a healthy work-life
by governments’ minimum wage legislation, balance for the workers,
or industry standards approved based on • Only exceed the limit of hours described above
collective bargaining, whichever is higher. The in line with exceptional cases defined by the
wages shall refer to standard working hours, ILO, in which case overtime is permitted,
• Pay wages in a regular, timely and stable • Use overtime as an exceptional and voluntary
manner, and fully in legal tender. Partial pay- practice, paid at a premium rate of minimum
ment in the form of allowance “in kind” is only 125% of the standard rate. Overtime shall not
accepted in line with ILO specifications, represent a significantly higher likelihood of
• Assess the pay gap accurately, and work occupational hazards, and in no circumstance
progressively towards the payment of a liv- go the limits defined under national legisla-
ing wage that is sufficient to afford a decent, tion,
standard of living for the workers and their • Grant their workers the right to resting breaks
families, in every working day and the right to at least
• Reflect the skills, responsibility, seniority, and one day off in every seven days, unless excep-
education of workers in their level of wages, tions defined by collective agreements apply.

• Where a pay rate for production, quota or Occupational Health and

piece work, is established, allow workers to
earn at least a wage which respectively meets
Safety
or exceeds applicable legal minimum wages, The signatories commit to:
industry standards, or collective bargaining
• Respect the right to healthy working and living
agreements (where applicable) within stand-
conditions of workers and local communities,
ard working hours,
without prejudice to the specific expectations
• Ensure that workers of all genders and cat- set out hereunder. Vulnerable persons, such
egories, such as migrant and local workers, as - but not limited to - young workers, new
receive the same remuneration for equal jobs and expecting mothers and persons with disa-
and qualification, bilities, shall receive special protection,
• Implement deductions only under the condi- • Comply with national occupational health and
tions and to the extent allowed by law or fixed safety legislation, or with international stand-
by collective agreement, ards where national legislation is weak or
poorly enforced,
• Provide the workers with the social benefits
that are legally granted, such as without • Ensure that there are systems in place to as-
negative impact on their pay, level of seniority, sess, identify, prevent, and mitigate potential
position, or promotion prospects. and actual threats to the health and safety of
workers,
Decent Working Hours
• Train all departments and individuals on occu-
The signatories commit to: pational health and safety regularly through-
• Ensure that workers are not required to work out all stages of employment, and provide
more than 48 standard hours per week, with- information on potential occupational health
out prejudice to the specific expectations set and safety risks to workers and public, includ-
out hereunder. Exceptions specified by the ing affected communities,
ILO are recognized,
• Interpret applicable national legislation,

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 8

• Take effective measures to prevent workers • Ensure that when residential facilities are
from having accidents, injuries, or illnesses, provided or mandated, they are clean and
arising from, associated with, or occurring safe, and they meet all the basic needs of the
during work. These measures aim at mini- workers,
mizing, so far as is reasonable, the causes of
• Provide effective and tailored Personal Pro-
hazards inherent within the workplace,
tective Equipment (PPE) to all workers free of
• Seek improving workers’ protection in case charge, taking the needs of different worker
of accident, including through compulsory categories, such as pregnant and nursing
insurance schemes, women, into consideration,
• Maintain records of all health and safety inci- • Compensate the damages incurred to the
dents in the workplace and all other facilities workers on the occasion that historical or
that are provided or mandated, actual failure of adherence to principles is
identified.
• Take all appropriate measures, and obtain all
by national legislation, to see to the stability
No Child Labour
and safety of the equipment and buildings
they use, as well as to protect against and The signatories commit to:
prepare for any foreseeable emergency. This • Not employ, directly or indirectly, children be-
includes residential facilities for workers when low the minimum age of completion of com-
these are provided or mandated by the em- pulsory schooling as defined by law, which
ployer or a recruitment partner, shall not be less than 15 years, unless the
• Establish relevant committees, such as an Oc- exceptions recognised by the ILO apply,
cupational Health and Safety Committee, to • Protect children from any form of exploitation,
ensure active co-operation between manage-
• Establish robust age-verification mechanisms
ment and workers, and/or their representa-
as part of the recruitment process, which may
tives for the development and effective imple-
not be in any way degrading or disrespectful
mentation of systems that ensure a safe and
to the worker,
healthy work environment. These committees
aim to represent the diversity of the workers, • Take special care and identify measures in a
proactive manner in case of the dismissal and
• Provide awareness to workers, and respect
removal of children, to ensure the protection
their right and responsibility to exit the prem-
of affected children.
ises and/or stop working without seeking
permission in dangerous situations and un-
Special Protection for Young
controlled hazards,
Workers
• Provide adequate occupational medical as-
sistance and related facilities and provide The signatories commit to:
equal access to all workers for these services. • Ensure that young persons do not work at
Health services (including insurance) should night and that they are protected against
serve the distinctive concerns and needs of all conditions of work which are prejudicial to
genders and ages, their health, safety, morals, and development,
• Provide access to safe and clean drinking without prejudice to the specific expectations
water, and eating and resting areas free of set out in this principle,
charge, and where applicable, provide access • Remove young workers from any hazardous
to cooking and food storage areas, work or source of hazard immediately when
• Provide an adequate number of safe, separate such cases are identified, and redefine their
toilets with adequate level of privacy for all scope of work without any loss of income,
genders, and paper towels and washbasins
with hand soap in all work areas,

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 9

• Ensure that (a) the kind of work is not likely to undermine workers’ protection,
be harmful to young workers’ health or devel-
• (c) labour-only contracting, and d) contract
opment; (b) their working hours allow their
substitution,
attendance in school, their participation in
vocational orientation approved by the com- • Not use subcontracting in a way that under-
petent authority or their capacity to benefit mines the rights of workers.
from training or instruction programmes,
No Bonded, Forced Labour or
• Set the necessary mechanisms to prevent,
identify and mitigate harm to young workers,
Human Trafficking
with special attention to the provision and The signatories commit to:
access of young workers to effective operation-
• Not engage in, or through business partners,
al grievance mechanisms and to Occupational
be complicit to, any form of servitude, forced,
Health and Safety trainings schemes and
bonded, indentured, trafficked or non-volun-
programmes specific to the needs of young
tary labour, including state-imposed forced
workers.
labour,
No Precarious Employment • Adhere to international principles of responsi-
The signatories commit to: ble recruitment, including the Employer Pays
Principle, and require the same from their
• Ensure that, their recruitment process and
recruitment partners, when engaging and re-
employment relationships do not cause inse-
cruiting all workers, either directly or indirect-
curity and social or economic vulnerability for
ly, especially members of vulnerable groups
their workers,
such as temporary and migrant workers, . As a
• Ensure that work is performed on the basis minimum, this includes:
of a recognised and documented employ-
•  No recruitment fees and costs are charged
ment relationship, established in compliance
to workers
with relevant national legislations, custom or
•  Clear and transparent employment con-
practice, and international labour standards,
tracts
whichever provides greater protection,
•  Workers’ freedom from deception and coer-
• Before entering employment, provide work- cion
ers with understandable information in their •  Freedom of movement and no retention of
own language and ensure that they are aware identity documents
about their rights, responsibilities, and em- •  Access to free, comprehensive, and accurate
ployment conditions, including working hours, information
remuneration and terms of payment in their •  Freedom to terminate contract, change em-
own language, ployer, and safely return
• Aim at providing decent, and where relevant, •  Access to free dispute resolution and effec-
flexible working conditions that also support tive remedies
workers, irrespective of gender, in their roles • Progressively compensate the damages
as parents or caregivers, including migrant incurred to the workers within a reasonable
and seasonal workers whose children may be timeframe, and within the framework of the
left in their hometowns, same international principles, if historical or
• Not use employment arrangements in a way actual failure of adherence to principles is
that deliberately does not correspond to the identified.
genuine purpose of the law. This includes - but
is not limited to - (a) apprenticeship or train-
ing schemes where there is no intent to im-
part skills or provide regular employment, (b)
seasonality or contingency work when used to

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 10

Protection of the Ethical Business Behaviour
Environment The signatories commit to:
The signatories commit to: • Not take part in any act of corruption,
extortion or embezzlement, nor in any form
• Implement a process- and risk-based
of bribery - including but not limited to - the
environmental due diligence management
promising, offering, giving or accepting of any
system in their business practices, adjusted
improper monetary or other incentive,
to the business model of the company. This
can also be integrated into the overall due • Develop and adopt adequate internal controls,
diligence management system, programmes or measures for preventing
and detecting corruption, extortion,
• Comply with national environmental
embezzlement or any form of bribery,
legislation, or with international standards
developed on the basis of a company-specific
where national legislation is weak or poorly
risk assessment,
enforced,
• Identify the environmental impacts of
• Keep accurate information regarding their
activities, structure and performance, and
their operations, and implement adequate
disclose these in accordance with applicable
measures to prevent, mitigate and remediate
regulations and industry benchmark practices
adverse impacts on the surrounding
to enhance transparency of their activities,
communities, natural resources, climate, and
the overall environment. • Not falsify, or participate in falsifying any
information or in any act of misrepresentation
in the supply chain,
• Provide awareness to the workers about the
policies, controls, programmes and measures
against unethical behaviour, and promote
compliance within the company through
trainings and communication,
• Collect, use, and otherwise process personal
information (including that from workers,
business partners, customers and consumers
in their sphere of influence) with reasonable
care. The collection, use and other processing
of personal information must comply with
privacy and information security laws and
regulatory requirements.

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 11

Terms of Implementation

The signatories of this Code of Conduct agree to implement the values and principles set out in this
document throughout the life cycle of their business relationships, and in close liaison with relevant
stakeholders:
• Before starting a business relationship, to map and understand potential and actual human
rights risks.
• During a business relationship, to conduct responsible business, and to coach and support their
business partners in continuous improvement.
• At the end of a business relationship, to ensure a responsible transition for the business partner.

Information Management Monitoring in the Supply

• The signatories shall maintain the amfori Chain
Sustainability Platform with up-to-date and
• Business partners monitor that the amfori
accurate information and will instruct their
BSCI Code of Conduct is observed internal-
employees and representatives to use such
ly and by their upstream business partners
information in compliance with the Regulation
involved in the production process, based on a
(EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Reg-
continuous improvement approach.
ulation), which is also referred to as EU GDPR.
• Business partners acknowledge that amfori
• The signatories understand that all personal
members may choose to include them in
information collected, used, and otherwise
monitoring activities. They agree to be moni-
processed within the amfori tools and plat-
tored on-site and off-site, announced or unan-
forms must comply with the EU GDPR, re-
nounced, by amfori, or third parties qualified
gardless of the geographical location the data
by amfori (e.g. auditing companies, quality
is collected.
partners) for this purpose. These activities
• The signatories agree that the information may be conducted within the scope of am-
gathered through a monitoring activity, includ- fori monitoring tools, or amfori Audit Quality
ing a grievance mechanism, can be shared Programme. Within the course of a monitoring
with third parties (i) insofar as this occurs activity, business partners agree to:
within the framework of amfori; (ii) insofar as
• Give full access to the facilities as re-
such transfer is necessary for the provisions
quested by the individuals conducting
by or on behalf of amfori-related activities,
the activity, including parts that may not
and/or (iii) the third parties agree to treat the
have been initially indicated in the activity
information provided with utmost respect and
scope,
for the only purpose relevant for the case.
• Give access to personal data on their
workers, and let the individuals gather
relevant data for reporting purposes as
long as in line with the national legislation
and EU GDPR,

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 12

 • Allow the individuals to gather the
necessary document evidence relevant
to the activity, including but not limited
to business documents, licenses,
certifications, and pictures,
• Allow the individuals to conduct
on-site and off-site interviews with
workers in full confidentiality, without
any influence or retaliation from the
management.

References

For public consultation purposes, please refer

to the separate document in the package.

Glossary

For public consultation purposes, please refer

to the separate document in the package.

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 13

Signatory

Date

Name

Name of Company

Address

Signature Company Stamp/Seal

amfori BSCI Code of Conduct 2021 14

amfori
Avenue de Tervueren 270
1150 Brussels, Belgium
T +32 (0) 2 741 64 76
E [email protected]

amfori.org