At BBS Natural Stone, we take the treatment of workers extremely seriously. As full members of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) we are committed to ensuring that all of BBS's suppliers, both here in the UK and overseas, work and trade ethically.
The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is a leading alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs that promotes respect for workers' rights around the globe. Its vision is a world where all workers are free from exploitation and discrimination, and enjoy conditions of freedom, security and equity. It ensures workers, worldwide, have safe working conditions, avoid child exploitation and constantly improve conditions through education.
The work BBS has carried out towards compliance has enabled us to gain full membership to the Ethical Trading Initiative. We are fully committed to ethical trade, and adopt a code of labour practice and expect all our suppliers to work towards this too. The codes address issues like wages, hours of work, health and safety and the right to join free trade unions.
We work closely with our supply chains to ensure that ethical work practices are implemented and followed. By supporting our suppliers with practical assistance, for example, by gifting Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for suppliers employees or giving assistance on health and safety initiatives, we continually demonstrate our commitment to promote respect for workers’ rights worldwide.
Ethical Trading & BBS: Working with the ITF
Ethical Trading & BBS: Offering Elected Representation and Freedom of Association
Ethical Trading through the Covid-19 Pandemic
Our very own Kevin Hives took a panel seat at the General Merchanting Sector of the recent Ethical Trading Initiative’s Corporate Roundtable Event.
As full members of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) BBS is committed to ensuring that all of our suppliers, both in the UK and overseas, work and trade ethically.
Our goals and needs for the ETI are communicated to our supply chains, and the need for our suppliers to buy in to the work we are undertaking is fixed.
Our commitment to responsible sourcing practices is total, and our plans and objectives are continually monitored to ensure our due diligence practices are maintained. We work closely with our supply chains and with the employees as well as the employers.
Constantly working to promote the ethical trade initiative, we are proud of our values and know that as one of the leading natural stone suppliers in the UK, our ethical footprint ensures that the natural stone and hard landscaping materials for your project - whether it is a multi-million pound city centre redevelopment, housing development or single private dwelling, has been extracted, finished and transported ethically.
Further details of the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code can be found here.
The ETI Base Code is founded on the conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and is an internationally recognised code of labour practice. As an Ethical Trading Iniative Member, BBS is committed to these foundational principles as a mimimum, and we work diligently across our organisation to further our work in this area.
Slavery and bonded labour are totally unacceptable. Almost 21 million people are victims of forced labour.
Tens of thousands of workers lose their jobs every year for attempting to form or join a trade union or improve working conditions. Some even lose their lives.
An estimated 2.3 million people die every year from work-related accidents and diseases.
168 million children work to support their families, missing out on education and often damaging their health. This reinforces the cycle of poverty.
Roughly half the world's population still lives on two dollars a day. If people can't feed their families on an adult's wage, they may send their children to work.
Long working hours are the norm for most of the world's workers. This damages people's health and undermines family life.
Women and certain minorities are often confined to the lowest-paid jobs with no access to training or promotion.
Most workers can be laid off when it suits the employer. This fuels poverty and insecurity and drives down wages.
Few workers have protection against physical, verbal or sexual abuse in the workplace.