Supplier Code of Conduct Voting Results and Analysis June 2012
Overall Vote Distribution by Topic Labor and Human Rights received over 50% of all votes Member-suggested provisions received the next highest number of votes Sustainability was the only other topic with over 10 total votes Other sections typically had only one provision receiving significant support
Vote Distribution by Topic
Provisions Receiving the Most Votes No one provision stands out Top 5 vote-getters include sustainability, workers’ rights and legal compliance sections On-campus supplier employee pay included 4 votes specifically directed at “living wage” One vote included the note “[wages sufficient] for a family of four (living wage)”
Individual Provisions Receiving the Most Votes
Observations The top 11 provisions account for approximately 75% of the total votes The top 5 provisions account for approximately 40% of total votes Although Environmental, Legal Compliance and Safety are represented, the majority of the most popular provisions are from the labor section
Highest Number of Votes as Compared to All Votes
Labor and Human Rights
Most of the votes focused on Freedom of Association, Anti- Discrimination, and On-Campus pay for Supplier Employees Affirmative action, flexible scheduling and hours provisions received little support Other provisions received a moderate level of support
Additional Suggestions for Labor and Human Rights One suggestion not reflected in the voting is to consider a requirement that suppliers offer flexible scheduling to prevent family status and gender discrimination A related suggestion was to specifically prohibit gender based discrimination
Other Observations In each of the remaining sections, only one provision received significant support
Observations Regarding Provisions Receiving Little to No Support Some provisions likely received little support due to the view that they were implicit in other requirements or already required under existing laws Other provisions may have received less support due to vagueness or because group members thought they were unnecessary Affirmative Action Environmental Reporting Conflict of Interest, Debarment and Gifts Compliance with OSHA Overtime Premium Requirement
Observations Regarding Provisions Receiving Little to No Support Other provisions may have received minimal votes as a result of vagueness UN Global Compact Environmental Standards Reduce resource use/waste/emissions Reasonable hours Finally, some provisions likely received few votes because they were a low priority Product content restrictions Trade embargoes Standardized grievance process
Additional Suggestions Provide incentives to comply rather than punishments for noncompliance According to some studies, penalties decrease worker trust in auditors as a result of increased pressure from supplier Include provisions covering the following areas: child labor, forced labor, worker health and safety, freedom of association, collective bargaining and discrimination Four focuses of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
Member Submissions Fairly even distribution Comparatively high level of support A requirement that suppliers accept the UW’s expressed values could be included in the code’s introduction Other sections may require additional refinement
Member Submissions