The Finnish Design Shop Code of Conduct for Business Partners
Finnish Design Shop’s purpose is to share Pieces of Nordic Happiness with friends of design across the world. We curate, sell and deliver the world’s largest selection of Nordic design, that always meets the highest standards of quality and sustainability. We strive to achieve this by conducting all our business activities in an ethical and responsible manner throughout our supply chain.
Finnish Design Shop collaborates with companies, organisations, and individuals that share our commitments and passion for sustainability, quality design and ethical business conduct. We believe that this is the only acceptable way to run a business, one that will benefit Finnish Design Shop, our partners and the design community as a whole.
This Code of Conduct for Business Partners later referred to as the Code, outlines the behaviour that Finnish Design Shop expects from its Suppliers in their dealings with Finnish Design Shop.
The requirements apply to all Finnish Design Shop’s external partners in all geographical areas, both organisations and individuals, business partners, subcontractors, and freelancers who provide products or services to Finnish Design Shop.
The Code is based on Finnish Design Shop’s values and other internal policies, as well as international and national laws and regulations, treaties and conventions, such as:
- The International Labour Organisation Standards
- The International Bill of Human Rights
- The United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Our Suppliers are required to adhere to the Code. We encourage suppliers to set similar requirements for their own suppliers and educate their employees and partners to ensure that they understand and comply with the Code.
We expect our partners to strive beyond legal compliance. In the unlikely event that the Code conflicts with the law, the law should always be followed. If the Code goes beyond the standards set out in law, then the Code must be followed.
Instructions for reporting any behaviour that violates the Finnish Design Shop’s Code of Conduct for Business Partners are detailed at the end of this document.
Labour and human rights
Finnish Design Shop promotes a discrimination-free workplace and requires its Suppliers to treat their employees with equality, dignity and respect.
Suppliers must follow the ILO Conventions 100 (Equal Remuneration) and 111 (Discrimination, Employment and Occupation). The Suppliers must not discriminate or give preference to employees on the basis of gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, mental ability, physical ability, political opinion, union affiliation, civil status or any other personal characteristics that do not relate to the individual qualifications or the inherent requirements for the job in question.
The Supplier shall create an environment that is free from any kind of discrimination based on any of the characteristics listed above. They must determine rates of remuneration and promotions to ensure that all employees are provided with equal pay for work of equal value.
Finnish Design Shop requires its Suppliers to provide working conditions that ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of the employees and help prevent occupational illnesses and work-related accidents. Such conditions must comply with all the applicable international standards, laws, and regulations on related issues, such as the ILO Convention 155 (Occupational Safety and Health).
The Supplier must follow property-specific safety instructions – such as fire and rescue instructions – at all worksites, and provide the employees with the appropriate tools, protective gear, ergonomic equipment, and safety instructions relevant to their job. The Supplier shall identify and ensure the safe handling, use, and disposal of hazardous materials and substances used in all operations. The Supplier is responsible for implementing and communicating emergency procedures to all workers.
The wellbeing of employees shall be supported by a rest area, potable water, and washing facilities. There shall be clear procedures to follow, manage, and report occupational injuries and illnesses appropriately. Every employee must have ample opportunity to suggest areas of development for health, safety, and wellbeing at the workplace. Persons reporting concerns in good faith will never face retaliation or punitive measures for doing so.
Finnish Design Shop respect human rights in its entire supply chain and throughout its partner networks, which requires cooperation between Finnish Design Shop and all Suppliers.
Suppliers must follow these ILO Conventions:
- 1 (Hours of Work)
- 14 (Weekly Rest)
- 26 (Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention)
- 29 (Forced Labour)
- 87 (Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize)
- 98 (Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining)
- 100 (Equal Remuneration)
- 105 (Abolition of Forces Labour)
- 203 (Forced Labour Recommendations)
- 117 (Social Policy, Basic Aims and Standards)
- 131 (Minimum Wage Fixing Convention)
- 135 (Workers’ Representative)
- 138 (Minimum Wage)
- 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labour).
We require our Suppliers to respect the human rights of their employees and to respect and advance human rights in their own supply chain. We do not accept any form of forced and compulsory labour, child labour, or any kind of harsh or degrading treatment. The Suppliers must follow applicable national laws for the minimum age of employment.
The Suppliers shall recognise and respect their employees’ freedom of association and right to collective bargaining and must not deprive employees of their right to enter and belong to trade unions. The Supplier must ensure that the working time for their employees does not exceed the permitted hours as outlined in applicable national laws and regulations or collective agreements. Overtime shall be voluntary. Employees shall have the right to vacation, leave time, statutory holidays and parental leave according to applicable laws and regulations.
At least a local minimum wage must be paid to employees, and a payslip must state the wage, benefits, and deductions. A written work contract that includes the terms of employment and that is in a format and language that the employee understands shall be signed by both employer and employee.
Sustainability and transparency
Finnish Design Shop’s purpose is to represent design that is timeless both in terms of aesthetics and technical quality, and that has been produced in a manner that respects the environment and people. These principles apply to all material and immaterial products and services that are procured or outsourced. Finnish Design Shop supports its Suppliers’ sustainability work and improvements through active cooperation.
All brands that Finnish Design Shop sells or represents are selected based on sustainability criteria defined in Finnish Design Shop’s Product Sustainability Framework (PSF). The framework makes considerations related to social responsibility, climate impact, ecosystem-friendly processes, circular design, and sustainable materials transparent to customers through product-specific evaluation. The suppliers that are required to report sustainability information under the PSF will be notified. Those Suppliers are expected to cooperate with the PSF and note that the representation of brands and products on Finnish Design Shop’s online store may be affected by their sustainability performance.
The Supplier is responsible for product safety and for ensuring that all products and services meet legal requirements. Finnish Design Shop does not sell inauthentic, counterfeit, or replica products.
Finnish Design Shop is committed to reducing its own negative environmental and climate impacts and supports its partners in doing so, too.
Creating an environmentally sustainable future is a shared task. This means that Suppliers are required to minimize and optimize their consumption of natural resources, including raw-materials, energy and water. The suppliers shall examine and reduce their environmental and climate impacts as well as document and implement an environmental management system, such as ISO 14001.
Suppliers shall strive to reduce their CO2 emissions and other negative environmental impacts in all their operations by increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing water and energy consumption, using raw and packaging materials more efficiently, minimising waste, and implementing all other relevant actions aiming to preserve the environment and limited natural resources in their business. The Suppliers must have processes to monitor, manage, improve and continuously reduce their negative environmental impact. Suppliers shall purchase raw materials responsibly. In particular, Suppliers shall obtain, maintain and comply with all environmental permits, licenses, registrations, laws, and regulations necessary for their operations.
Advancing the circular economy is important for Finnish Design Shop and we therefore refuse to destroy usable products, and we expect the same from our Suppliers. We primarily resell any slightly damaged products in our marketplace for pre-owned design, Franckly.
In case of a breach of this Code in their own operations or in the supply chain, the Suppliers shall inform Finnish Design Shop and present an action plan for implementing practices to prevent such misconduct in the future.
Transparency is a key element in sustainable and mutually beneficial business partnerships.
Hence, we endorse open communications between Finnish Design Shop and our partner network. The Supplier shall always act according to the Code and Finnish Design Shop’s values when representing Finnish Design Shop’s brand. The Suppliers are required to act in a manner that does not harm the Finnish Design Shop brand, reputation or competitiveness in any way.
All communication between Finnish Design Shop and the Supplier should be honest and accurate. The Supplier shall disclose information upon request and without delay related to the location of manufacturing facilities and product details, such as full supply chain mapping to enable upstream supply chain compliance. Finnish Design Shop and the Supplier must never intentionally disseminate false or misleading information and must never omit critical information.
The Supplier shall immediately report any violation or communicate any possible violation of the Code or law they have become aware of in their own or in their suppliers’ operations. The Supplier shall present an action plan for implementing practices to fix and prevent such misconduct in the future.
Compliance & integrity
Finnish Design Shop is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and complies with applicable laws, rules and regulations. Finnish Design Shop’s Suppliers shall also operate in full compliance with laws and regulations.
This includes laws and regulations related to, for example, but not limited to, employee rights, workplace safety, product safety, anti-corruption, immaterial rights, fair competition and data protection, security, applicable export and import control laws, international trade sanctions, and customs regulations. The Suppliers are required to maintain records that show compliance with laws and regulations.
Finnish Design Shop has zero tolerance towards bribery or corruption in any form.
Bribery refers to the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing the actions of an individual. Corruption refers to the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It disrupts competitive markets, misallocates resources, and can lead to violations of human rights.
The Suppliers are strictly prohibited from offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing the actions of the Supplier’s representative. These actions can include any improper advantage, contract or concession, or compelling the person to act in violation of a legal duty. The suppliers must not pay or accept bribes and must not violate, or cause its partners to violate, any applicable anti-bribery laws and regulations. The suppliers must follow fair business conduct and competition and avoid letting personal benefit or relations interfere with decision-making.
Data protection and information security are important to ensure the continuity of Finnish Design Shop’s business and to safeguard the rights of Finnish design Shop’s employees, customers, business partners, and other stakeholders.
The Suppliers are required to protect and handle data in compliance with applicable privacy and information security legislation and regulatory requirements. The Supplier must handle with the highest confidentiality any of Finnish Design Shop’s business data they have access to.
The Supplier must, too, protect Finnish Design Shop’s, our clients’ and our business partners’ confidentiality and intellectual assets, both tangible and intangible. The Supplier shall take proper care of the assets and not use them or permit anyone to use them for any unauthorised purposes. The data and assets shall only be disclosed to authorised recipients. Finnish Design Shop also pledges to handle with the highest confidentiality any business data or intellectual assets from its Suppliers.
The suppliers are required to respect and protect the privacy rights of their employees. Any personal data can only be collected, stored, and processed for authorized purposes and under applicable legislation and regulations. Suppliers will use adequate contractual and technical mechanisms to protect this data.
We firmly believe that fair competition is in the best interest of Finnish Design Shop, our customers, business partners, all other stakeholders, and the design community. We comply with competition and anti-trust laws which prohibit anti-competitive agreements and the abuse of market power.
The Supplier shall support and strive for fair competition and free markets and refuse to enter into discussions or agreements with competitors concerning market share, pricing or other similar activities. The Supplier shall adhere to all applicable laws and regulations and request all its employees and business partners to comply. Finnish Design Shop sets final retail prices based on the recommended retail prices provided by the Suppliers.
Implementation
This Supplier Code of Conduct is publicly available on Finnish Design Shop’s website. It is part of all contracts between the Supplier and Finnish Design Shop. All Suppliers are responsible for familiarizing themselves with this Code, creating the necessary management processes to act in accordance with it, asking questions if any arise, and reporting any violations that may occur. Suppliers have a responsibility to ensure that their supply chain also meets the requirements of the Code.
Finnish Design Shop retains the right to conduct regular audits of Suppliers to ensure their compliance with the Code. Finnish Design Shop may visit or send an external inspector to visit the supplier’s facilities at any time, with reasonable notice. Suppliers are expected to share accurate data during the audit process. Upon request of Finnish Design Shop, the Supplier is obligated to provide access to and share all requested information and documents needed to verify the Supplier’s compliance. Any falsification of data or withholding of information is a serious violation of the Code.
Reporting channels
If you suspect or detect behaviour that violates this Code of Conduct, you can always discuss the matter with your contact person at Finnish Design Shop. In case you want to report cases of unethical business conduct, inappropriate behavior, or any violations of this Code of Conduct, you can contact ethics@finnishdesignshop.com. All concerns and issues will be thoroughly investigated and addressed confidentially and anonymously.
Further measures and possible disciplinary action are evaluated based on the gravity of the situation. Suppliers must cooperate in investigations of alleged misconduct. Persons reporting concerns in good faith will never face retaliation or punitive measures by Finnish Design Shop for doing so.
Version 2022-11-07
