Labour Standards Assurance System Policy
1. Introduction
CUI Wear are committed to promoting the understanding and awareness of employment law and ethical standards. By conveying our labour standards to all parts of our supply chain we encourage the adoption and development of better ethical standards and motivate suppliers to comply with them.
This standard will be required from all potential new suppliers in the future.
To support this aim CUI Wear has developed the following Labour Standards objectives:
2. Scope of Policy
This policy applies to all Medical devices supplied to the UK National Health Service (NHS).
The Labour Standards Assurance System (LSAS) will be approved by CUI Wear's Management.
The responsibilities of the nominated management team are to:
• Develop procedures to meet policy requirements.
• Communicate labour standards issues to the senior management team.
• Liaise with the supply chain to undertake labour standards status reviews.
• Systematically review and continually improve the LSAS.
3. Labour Standards Status Review
As part of our LSAS we will evaluate new suppliers before entering into agreements with them and review existing suppliers periodically within our Risk Management System.
4. Legal & Other Requirements
CUI Wear is committed to remain up to date with any changes in relevant employment legislation.
The legislation with regards to CUI Wear’s direct operations is outlined in employment contracts and company handbook issued to all employees.
5. Objectives, Targets & Programmes
CUI Wear is committed to develop, establish, implement and maintain objectives and targets related to the LSAS program which is reviewed by senior management. This activity also ensures that all relevant personnel are kept up to date with the development of the LSAS programme.
6. Roles & Responsibilities
The management team shall liaise with the Operations Manager to develop the LSAS and report at appropriate intervals during Management Review.
7. Competence, Training & Awareness
CUI Wear is committed to ensure that relevant staff are competent in controlling the LSAS through appropriate training.
LSAS competency and training requirements are determined by the management team. Staff in roles identified as having influence on labour standards assurance will be:
• Competent in the Code of Conduct and the LSAS requirements.
• Authorised to contact suppliers and build relationships with them.
8. Communications
The LSAS is part of the CUI Wear Management System which monitors and records relating complaints, allegations or alerts.
9. Operational Control
The CUI Wear Management System documents the procedures directly involved with controlling the company labour standards and addressing any risks or breaches of this policy that may be posed.
It is the responsibility of the Operations Manager to ensure that the current applicable labour standards are being referenced.
The Critical Control Points (CCP) and risks associated to labour standards within our direct operations are detailed and controlled within standard procedures.
10. Supply Chain Management
CUI Wear is committed to monitoring and maintaining labour standards in the supply chain through the distribution and communication of the company’s Supplier Code of Conduct.
New direct suppliers must meet initial approval criteria which outline the standards expected to be maintained as part of their contract. These standards comply fully with those required by the LSAS.
11. Emergency Response
Upon engagement suppliers must fulfil the requirements of our Code of Conduct. Suppliers will be periodically re-assessed and failure to comply with LSAS, as agreed, will be considered a critical issue.
In the event if CUI Wear considers that a Supplier is not in compliance with these requirements or the wider provisions of the Code of Conduct, they must urgently take all such appropriate remedial actions, as requested, in response to address any areas of concern.
12. Management Review
The labour standards assurance programme and progress against objectives is formally reviewed by the Senior Management Team during the Annual Management Review Meeting.