Timberland's code of conduct defines a set of conditions which ensures fair, safe and non-discriminatory workplaces in the 300 factories around the world where Timberland products are made. This is achieved not just through policing, but through taking responsibility to remedy the situation when a supplier fails to meet the code, by offering guidance and developing a remediation plan to make improvements. The code has been translated into more than 20 languages and is provided to factories in local language, it is also a legal requirement of all its partnership agreements.

Timberland has demonstrated its commitment to living by the code, leaving a Chinese factory in 2006 that accounted for 17% of its production when it became evident that a working partnership was no longer tenable. In addition, in 2005, Timberland identified weaknesses in its approach to factory monitoring: its audits were not leading to long term sustainability and a comprehensive remediation process was introduced whereby the factory took ownership of the situation and looked beyond the symptoms to address the root cause of the problem.

Timberland has also developed strategic partnerships which help to increase dialogue, engagement and collaboration with its factory workers. For example, it is working with CARE to create a micro savings and credit facility in one of its Bangladesh factories.

 

 

This is a good example of How to be a forceforgood company because Timberland has shown a commitment, not just to enforcing the Code, but also to helping factories overcome what are sometimes cultural or unforeseen obstacles. For example they helped some Chinese workers wishing to work longer than a 12 hour day in order to earn extra money. At the same tme their withdrawal from one Chinese factory shows that they take the Code seriously. And they also show a continuous improvement approach, by refining their approach to assessing and remedying compliance issues, and by engaging with other partners.

 

The Code of Conduct can be downloaded from here.

 

See also the Fair Labor Associations similar approach, here.