Global Human Rights|Frequently Asked Questions

Some frequently asked questions about our Code of Conduct program.

1. Why does Timberland choose to have most of its products made outside the United States?

Our sourcing strategies are designed to keep us competitive, so we look for the right combination of quality, innovation, speed to market, cost, and—just as important—workplace conditions. Currently, Timberland^® products are being made in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including our own facility in the Dominican Republic. The way we make our boots, shoes, clothing and gear has changed a lot over the years. Our commitment to product quality and workplace quality hasn’t.

We know there are lots of issues surrounding the role of companies who do business in certain countries, like China or Vietnam for example. We actively engage with companies in these regions to help improve labour standards. Constructive engagement beats no engagement every time.

2. Is Timberland concerned about workers’ rights?

Absolutely.
The way we see it, we have a responsibility to work with our business partners to provide fair, safe, and non-discriminatory workplaces. We have a department dedicated to making sure what we say in our Code of Conduct is taken to heart. Our passionate and experienced staff, together with additional resources such as local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), works to make this happen in communities around the globe.

3. What system does Timberland use to monitor working conditions at contract manufacturers/suppliers?

We expect all manufacturers and suppliers of Timberland^®product, including subcontractors, to abide by our Code of Conduct. We make it an integral part of our agreements, including agreements where Timberland is not directly sourcing from the vendor (i.e., sourcing that occurs via licensees, and distributors).

Manufacturers and contracted suppliers of core products/components are assessed prior to the start of Timberland production and annually thereafter throughout the life of the sourcing contract. Following the assessment, training programs and additional guidance, support, and assistance is provided to the factories as needed.

4. Why hasn’t Timberland joined any organisations, such as the Fair Labor Association (FLA), SA8000, Worldwide Responsible Apparel Producers (WRAP) or the Worker Rights Consortium, set up to prevent sweatshop conditions and worker exploitation?

We believe industry collaboration is essential to realizing sustainable change in workplaces around the globe. Through participation in multi-brand organisations such as Social Accountability International, Business for Social Responsibility, Fair Factories Clearinghouse and the Outdoor Industry Association, as well as direct collaborations with other brands, we actively engage in initiatives aimed at reducing factory audit fatigue, establishing consistent messaging, raising expectations and facilitating workplace improvements throughout the industry.

5. Does Timberland address women’s rights?

Our Code directs that work environments must be non-discriminatory, and includes issues such as mandated maternity leave. Our assessors specifically address these issues and when necessary, provide corrective actions that directly address women’s issues.

6. Will Timberland pay a living wage?

We work hard to ensure that workers receive wages and benefits in accordance with local law, and that overtime is paid at a premium rate. We believe that workers should receive pay that meets their basic need and we work with local groups to find additional ways to positively impact compensation through things like savings and credit plans.

7. What are you doing about excessive hours?

This is a very challenging issue since it is intertwined so closely with industry practices. But we have taken a very strong position: No more than 60 hours per week, 12 hours per day, or 6 days consecutively. Balance between work and life is important. We work with our factory partners to improve production capacity planning and management systems to help all workers achieve a balance. Overtime must always be voluntary and should be limited as much as possible.

8. What is the minimum age of workers established by your Code?

Our current Code (last revised in 2002) requires the minimum age of our workers to be 16. This is higher than that required by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ILO Conventions. If it is in accordance with regulated vocational programs, we allow for 15-year-old apprentices to help them develop skills for future full-time employment.

9. How do assessors ensure that they are informed of true conditions at factories?

Unfortunately, some factories will try to falsify wage and hour records or coach workers on how to respond to questions in order to hide true conditions from assessors. Our assessors are trained to confirm information by approaching Code of Conduct matters from multiple angles. One way we do this is to collect information from outside the factory—conversing with neighbours, community members, local NGOs, and other companies. At the factory, several interviews are held with different levels of management, documents and computer systems are analysed, and a significant amount of time is dedicated to conducting multiple confidential discussions with randomly selected workers. These discussions with workers are not what they typically encounter as they are not a Q&A format. Instead, they are participatory information gathering sessions where workers engage in exercises that facilitate dialogue amongst themselves regarding the issues that are important to them.

The fact that the majority of our 290+ factories scored below acceptable levels in 2005 and 2006 tells us that we have been successful in establishing transparency with our factory partners. With transparency established, remediation assistance can then be provided.

10. Have you ever dropped a factory for non-compliance with your Code of Conduct?

We believe this is an area of continuous improvement and we think it is most important to take a stand for the workers and have a mechanism for change. Therefore, we want to work with a factory to make change since it is ultimately better for the workers to have jobs than lose their livelihood. We try to work with all vendors to help them modify procedures that don’t comply with our Code of Conduct. However, if a factory has no interest in making change, we will reserve the right to terminate the agreement. We have had to take this step a number of times.

		Corporate Social Responsibility Environmental Stewardship Civic Engagement Global Human Rights Code of Conduct Assessments Frequently Asked Questions Strategic Partnerships Transparency & Accountability Global Warming	Global Human Rights\|Frequently Asked Questions Some frequently asked questions about our Code of Conduct program. 1. Why does Timberland choose to have most of its products made outside the United States? Our sourcing strategies are designed to keep us competitive, so we look for the right combination of quality, innovation, speed to market, cost, and—just as important—workplace conditions. Currently, Timberland^® products are being made in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including our own facility in the Dominican Republic. The way we make our boots, shoes, clothing and gear has changed a lot over the years. Our commitment to product quality and workplace quality hasn’t. We know there are lots of issues surrounding the role of companies who do business in certain countries, like China or Vietnam for example. We actively engage with companies in these regions to help improve labour standards. Constructive engagement beats no engagement every time. 2. Is Timberland concerned about workers’ rights? Absolutely. The way we see it, we have a responsibility to work with our business partners to provide fair, safe, and non-discriminatory workplaces. We have a department dedicated to making sure what we say in our Code of Conduct is taken to heart. Our passionate and experienced staff, together with additional resources such as local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), works to make this happen in communities around the globe. 3. What system does Timberland use to monitor working conditions at contract manufacturers/suppliers? We expect all manufacturers and suppliers of Timberland^®product, including subcontractors, to abide by our Code of Conduct. We make it an integral part of our agreements, including agreements where Timberland is not directly sourcing from the vendor (i.e., sourcing that occurs via licensees, and distributors). Manufacturers and contracted suppliers of core products/components are assessed prior to the start of Timberland production and annually thereafter throughout the life of the sourcing contract. Following the assessment, training programs and additional guidance, support, and assistance is provided to the factories as needed. 4. Why hasn’t Timberland joined any organisations, such as the Fair Labor Association (FLA), SA8000, Worldwide Responsible Apparel Producers (WRAP) or the Worker Rights Consortium, set up to prevent sweatshop conditions and worker exploitation? We believe industry collaboration is essential to realizing sustainable change in workplaces around the globe. Through participation in multi-brand organisations such as Social Accountability International, Business for Social Responsibility, Fair Factories Clearinghouse and the Outdoor Industry Association, as well as direct collaborations with other brands, we actively engage in initiatives aimed at reducing factory audit fatigue, establishing consistent messaging, raising expectations and facilitating workplace improvements throughout the industry. 5. Does Timberland address women’s rights? Our Code directs that work environments must be non-discriminatory, and includes issues such as mandated maternity leave. Our assessors specifically address these issues and when necessary, provide corrective actions that directly address women’s issues. 6. Will Timberland pay a living wage? We work hard to ensure that workers receive wages and benefits in accordance with local law, and that overtime is paid at a premium rate. We believe that workers should receive pay that meets their basic need and we work with local groups to find additional ways to positively impact compensation through things like savings and credit plans. 7. What are you doing about excessive hours? This is a very challenging issue since it is intertwined so closely with industry practices. But we have taken a very strong position: No more than 60 hours per week, 12 hours per day, or 6 days consecutively. Balance between work and life is important. We work with our factory partners to improve production capacity planning and management systems to help all workers achieve a balance. Overtime must always be voluntary and should be limited as much as possible. 8. What is the minimum age of workers established by your Code? Our current Code (last revised in 2002) requires the minimum age of our workers to be 16. This is higher than that required by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ILO Conventions. If it is in accordance with regulated vocational programs, we allow for 15-year-old apprentices to help them develop skills for future full-time employment. 9. How do assessors ensure that they are informed of true conditions at factories? Unfortunately, some factories will try to falsify wage and hour records or coach workers on how to respond to questions in order to hide true conditions from assessors. Our assessors are trained to confirm information by approaching Code of Conduct matters from multiple angles. One way we do this is to collect information from outside the factory—conversing with neighbours, community members, local NGOs, and other companies. At the factory, several interviews are held with different levels of management, documents and computer systems are analysed, and a significant amount of time is dedicated to conducting multiple confidential discussions with randomly selected workers. These discussions with workers are not what they typically encounter as they are not a Q&A format. Instead, they are participatory information gathering sessions where workers engage in exercises that facilitate dialogue amongst themselves regarding the issues that are important to them. The fact that the majority of our 290+ factories scored below acceptable levels in 2005 and 2006 tells us that we have been successful in establishing transparency with our factory partners. With transparency established, remediation assistance can then be provided. 10. Have you ever dropped a factory for non-compliance with your Code of Conduct? We believe this is an area of continuous improvement and we think it is most important to take a stand for the workers and have a mechanism for change. Therefore, we want to work with a factory to make change since it is ultimately better for the workers to have jobs than lose their livelihood. We try to work with all vendors to help them modify procedures that don’t comply with our Code of Conduct. However, if a factory has no interest in making change, we will reserve the right to terminate the agreement. We have had to take this step a number of times.