Our products are made in independently audited factories to help us maintain high social standards and to ensure that working conditions are fair and decent. Our Code of Conduct is mandatory for all suppliers, and does not tolerate child labour, and states that worker are treated respectfully and in a dignified manner, their employment is voluntary and based on ability and without discrimination. It makes sure that workers are paid fair living wages, ensures their safety, as well as regulated and paid overtime. Additionally, the factories agree to adhere to environmental requirements as well as an anti-corruption policy and the ban of not approved subcontracting. We are collaborating with Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), an independent organisation specialized in monitoring and improving working conditions in textile factories. FWF helps us with local verifications and ensures that our Code of Conduct is upheld along the supply chain. They are not only monitoring the factories but are also making sure that worker’s complaints and suggestions are heard and acted upon. Every year, FWF conducts a check on LaMunt’s commitment and actions, called “Brand Performance Check”. It challenges us to not only reach the goals we set for ourselves, but to improve. Since 6th February 2023, the Oberalp Group (with its brands Salewa, Dynafit, Wild Country, and LaMunt) have been part of Fair Wear’s pilot project that will provide the wider industry with guidance, learning modules, and access to tools to facilitate brands in their Human Rights Due Diligence. Together with nine other brands, the Group helps to develop this project that will support Fair Wear in guiding more brands in implementing HRDD in their supply chains and ensure that it is done meaningfully. HRDD is at the very center of new and upcoming legislation that will push brands to better monitoring the supply chains, preventing, and remediating human rights violations, and taking responsibilities. In addition to several other national human rights due diligence (HRDD) legislations currently in place, such as the German Supply chain law or the French Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, also the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive is on its way. As a pilot participant, the Oberalp Group plays a vital role in testing and evaluating the project’s viability, feasibility, and effectiveness before Fair Wear Foundation will roll it out on a larger scale. During this pilot year, there will be no annual Fair Wear Brand Performance Check (BPC) and Fair Wear is therefore not assigning a score or performance benchmarking category for 2022. “Participating in the Academy Pilot Project requires dedication and time”, Martine Riblan Social Compliance Specialist at Oberalp says. “Even if we have no BPC this year, we are naturally continuing to monitor our factories and to improve working conditions”.
