We’ve developed a multi-faceted approach to help us assess workers’ rights through our supply chain. As a B Corp, we are committed to balancing profit with our impact on people and planet. Our approach focuses on collaboration, transparency, and stakeholder engagement. While our methods aren’t perfect, they’re constantly evolving. Let’s dive in.
B Corp, run by nonprofit B Lab, is a nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. In a nutshell, B Corp aims to make business a force for good. We take this certification seriously, considering the impacts our decisions have on our customers, our wider community, the environment, and the workers in our global supply chain.
We provide channels to encourage workers in our supply chain to communicate with us where needed. We invest in a direct hotline via email and QR code and worker surveys as part of social assessments. Kathmandu partners with New Zealand company, Ask Your Team, to offer a real-time survey to workers relating to worker wellbeing and engagement.
We provide channels to encourage workers in our supply chain to communicate with us where needed. We invest in a direct hotline via email and QR code and worker surveys as part of social assessments. Kathmandu partners with New Zealand company, Ask Your Team, to offer a real-time survey to workers relating to worker wellbeing and engagement.
Freedom of association and collective bargaining
All Kathmandu suppliers must recognise and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining. This is a contractual requirement, as is training workers on these rights. To further support freedom of association in Bangladesh KMD Brands is a signatory to the International Accord (Signatories - International Accord).
Our Workplace Code of Conduct is based on the International Labour Organisation’s standards and on internationally accepted good labour practices. The code outlines our expectations from suppliers including working hours, safe working conditions, sufficient compensation, and environmental standards we expect them to meet. All our manufacturing partners must sign and respect our Code of Conduct standards.
Making our own supply chain more transparent is a central part of our overall strategy. We share our supply chain via the Open Supply Hub. Open Supply Hub is powering the transition to safe and sustainable supply chains with the world’s most complete, open and accessible map of global production. Every facility that makes our products is identified and located on a global map, via GPS coordinates.
Filter by Contributor List using "Kathmandu" and view the exact locations of our apparel facilities. This is a complete (100%) list of the group’s tier 1 suppliers. It also includes key traced tier 2 suppliers.
This list is updated every 6 months.
Kathmandu is engaged in several multi-stakeholder initiatives that are valuable in generating ESG-related dialogue. We also have strategic partnerships that support collaboration on remediation with shared suppliers.
Fair Labor Association (FLA)
The FLA is a collaborative effort of universities, civil society organisations, and socially responsible companies dedicated to protecting workers’ rights around the world. The FLA provides transparency and accountability for our internal program and ensures we are complying with international labour standards and best practices throughout our supply chain. Kathmandu was the first company in Australasia to become an accredited member of the FLA in 2018 and our Code of Conduct and supplier assessment framework is aligned with and based upon the FLA Compliance Benchmarks.
Cascale
KMD Brands is a member of Cascale, an alliance of apparel, footwear, and textile companies working together to further sustainable production. Our membership requires a commitment to supply chain social and environmental monitoring, transparency, sharing best practice, and making meaningful improvements. Our progress is assessed each year by Cascale and via the Brand Retail Module.
All Kathmandu tier 1 manufacturing suppliers and nominated tier 2 suppliers are subject to risk assessments that include human rights criteria. We recognise the limitations of audits in relation to facilitating long-term improvements and use them as one tool within our monitoring program. Our focus for audit assessments is on transparency, worker voice and the participation of union and/or worker representatives.
Modern slavery
KMD Brands publishes an annual Modern Slavery Statement that describes our actions to assess and address modern slavery risks.
