We’re aware of our responsibility to employees and people manufacturing our products worldwide. International manufacturing processes and supply chains are exceptionally complex. Therefore, we want to understand our impact on society too and advocate safe, fair, legal, and people-friendly working conditions. This approach applies to both our own factory in Isny, Germany, as well as to any overseas.
Innovation is EDELRID’s driving force. We’ve been producing our core products here in Isny in the Allgäu for over 160 years. Today, approx. 60% of our sales are due to products made in Germany. This figure represents our core business with ropes and assembly of some products, with single components made in other countries across the globe. Nevertheless, we inspect all our products again before they reach the market.
It goes without saying that safe and fair working conditions are important to our suppliers. And the same applies to us here in Isny where we have a direct influence. This facility has EMAS and ISO 14001 certification.
To us, products made in Germany is so much more than just a label. It’s our brand’s commitment to this country as a production hub. It also guarantees that we can keep a close eye on the products we sell.
We believe that garments should be fair for everyone. And Isny, where we can monitor working conditions directly, isn’t the only place our items are produced.
Which is why we’ve been an official member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since mid-2021. The FWF is a multi-stakeholder initiative, in other words, a voluntary group of public-sector bodies, NGOs and companies that aim to improve working conditions at garment manufacturers the world over.
Its work is underpinned by Fair Wear’s Code of Labour Practices, which is based on the conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As a result, the production facilities are scrutinised, as well as the FWF brands and their purchasing behaviour at these sites as part of an annual brand performance check.
The Fair Wear Foundation offers the opportunity to progressively improve social sustainability and supply chain transparency. To make specific improvements in working conditions, it also provides the chance to learn and to network with other brands producing at the same site.
EDELRID has been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since mid-2021. We have taken our accession to FWF as an opportunity to formulate internal goals for the development of social conditions along our supply chain. We are pleased to present our work in the area of social performance and working conditions as transparently as possible in the first EDELRID Social Report.
We've successfully completed our very first Brand Performance Check with Fair Wear! This is a big milestone for us. Throughout this process, we've pinpointed areas with room for improvement, and we're ready to tackle them head-on. Rather than viewing this as a setback, we see it as a challenge and motivation to strengthen our commitment to achieve social and environmental responsibility along our supply chain. In doing so, transparency is a cornerstone for us. Our next steps are divers and range from, for example, the adaption of our risk assessment according to OECD guidelines as well as evolving our prevention program and adding a gender lens to both, the risk assessment and prevention program. We're all about action, learning, and keeping it authentic as we work towards being a more socially responsible business. So, we are pleased to share our full BPC and see where this adventurous journey leads us.