Suppliers must provide equal opportunities to, and fair treatment of, all Workers.

This should include:

• Working to eliminate any form of harassment and bullying within the workplace, whether it is of a sexual, verbal, non-verbal or physical nature; and
• Treating all Workers with dignity and respect, promoting diversity and inclusion, and not practising any form of unlawful discrimination.

Discrimination can include (but is not limited to) allowing race, ethnicity, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender reassignment, class, religion, politics, marital status, pregnancy status, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law to influence our judgement when it comes to the recruitment, development, advancement or exit of any employee.

Suppliers must provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions.

Specifically, this should include (but not be limited to):

• Adopting procedures to identify and address occupational health and safety hazards and associated risks, and implement safe working practices;
• Conducting fire risk assessment appropriate to the workplace or facility, and implement fire safety plan and appropriate fire prevention and emergency evacuation systems and procedures;
• Providing (where relevant) appropriate personal protective equipment to prevent occupational injuries or illnesses;
• Implementing (where relevant) appropriate control measures to ensure the safe handling, storage, transfer and disposal of substances hazardous to health or the environment, including flammable materials;
• Providing appropriate and regular training and communications so that Workers are aware of the health and safety risks and procedures relevant to their work; and
• Where accommodation is provided, ensure it is clean, safe and meets basic standards for acceptable living conditions and the needs of the Workers.

Suppliers must ensure all Workers are able (subject to applicable laws) to exercise their right to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

This includes the right to be represented by recognised trade unions or other bona fide representatives. Such representatives should not be discriminated against and be able to carry out their activities in the workplace within the framework of law, regulation, prevailing labour relations and practices, and agreed company procedures.

Suppliers must provide fair wages and benefits.

At a minimum, these must comply with applicable minimum wage legislation and other applicable laws or collective bargaining agreements.

Ensure operations are free from child labour.

Specifically, following the guidelines of the International Labour Organization that:

• Any work which is considered hazardous or likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children should not be done by anyone under the age of 18 (or 16 under strict conditions);
• The minimum age for work should not be below the legal age for finishing compulsory schooling and, in any case, not less than the age of 15;

Where local law permits, children between the ages of 13 and 15 years old may do light work, provided it does not hinder their education or vocational training, or include any activity which could be harmful to their health or development (for example, handling mechanical equipment or agro-chemicals). We also recognise training or work experience schemes approved by a competent authority as an exception.

Suppliers must ensure operations are free from modern slavery and exploitation of labour.

This includes slavery, servitude and forced, compulsory, bonded, involuntary, trafficked or unlawful migrant labour.

As such, Suppliers and agents/labour brokers working on their behalf, should not require Workers to:

• Pay recruitment fees, take out loans or pay unreasonable service charges or deposits; or
• Surrender original identity papers, passports or permits.

Where national law or employment procedures require use of identity papers, Suppliers must use them strictly in accordance with the law. If identity papers are ever retained or stored for reasons of security or safekeeping, this must only be done with the informed and written consent of the Worker, which should be genuine; and with unlimited access for the Worker to retrieve them, at all times, without any constraints.

Suppliers must ensure responsible sourcing of conflict minerals.

Conflict minerals include cobalt, gold, tantalum, tin and tungsten (and the ores from which they originate), originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas that could directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups or human rights abuses. Where products or materials supplied to the Group contain any such conflict minerals, we expect Suppliers to:

• Work to exercise appropriate due diligence;
• Perform reasonable country of origin enquiries, including requiring its Suppliers to engage in similar due diligence; and
• Provide the Group (where requested) with available information relating to due diligence and country of origin enquiries.

Suppliers must comply with all applicable working time laws and other applicable laws or collective bargaining agreements, including taking account of any legally mandated maximum working hours requirements.

• Your usual Group company contact
• Group Head of Procurement:
  procurement@bat.com
• Speak Up channels:
  www.bat.com/speakup