Our Responsibility & Sustainability

Our commitment to the environment

Sustainable Resources

Choosing sustainable products is about trying to find a balance between different environmental characteristics over the life of the product. Our products are sourced in China and made from non-treated Birchwood or Bamboo which means that, even though disposable, they are easily re-cycled, not classed as resource intensive to manufacture and aren’t toxic when broken down.

More and more of our products are made from Bamboo. It is a highly renewable alternative to timber because it is a grass, grows incredibly fast and never needs replanting and offers vital economic and ecological benefits to the lives of millions of people around the world. Bamboo is an important and plentiful non-timber, non-petroleum resource.

The term ‘sustainable product’ can be subjective and include a wide variety of economic, social and environmental considerations. Sustainability is defined byBrundtland as ‘meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs’

Brundtland Report

In 1987 the Brundtland Report, also known as Our Common Future, alerted the world to the urgency of making progress toward economic development that could be sustained without depleting natural resources or harming the environment.

Sustainable Development

Defined by the Government as having four key areas

Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone
Effective protection of the environment
Prudent use of natural resources
Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment
Our source does their up-most to consider the economic, social and environmental issues surrounding the products and used raw materials, and they supply us with certificates to satisfy this. Spikomat have been assured by a UK third party organization that our certificates are the most assurance that we can get at this present time, as a means of guaranteeing that products come from legal and sustainable resources.

Why are sustainable products more profitable than conventional products?

The public prefers sustainable products and will pay somewhat more for them than conventional products. They have cheaper raw materials, less liability, fewer regulatory constraints, and faster product time to market. Sustainable products have more value than like – for – like conventional products on the market.

The ETI Base Code

1.
Employment is freely chosen

1.1
There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.

1.2
Workers are not required to lodge “deposits” or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.

2.
Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected

2.1
Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.

2.2
The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities.

2.3
Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.

2.4
Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

3.
Working conditions are safe and hygienic

3.1
A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.

3.2
Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.

3.3
Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.

3.4
Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.

3.5
The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.

4.
Child labour shall not be used.

4.1
There shall be no new recruitment of child labour.

4.2
Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child; “child” and “child labour” being defined in the appendices.

4.3
Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.

4.4
These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards.

5.
Living wages are paid

5.1
Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.

5.2
All workers shall be provided with written and understandable Information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid.

5.3
Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.

6.
Working hours are not excessive

6.1
Working hours comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.

6.2
In any event, workers shall not on a regular basis be required to work in excess of 48 hours per week and shall be provided with at least one day off for every 7 day period on average. Overtime shall be voluntary, shall not exceed 12 hours per week, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and shall always be compensated at a premium rate.

7.
No disicrimination is practised

7.1
There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

8.
Regular employment is provided

8.1
To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.
8.2
Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of labour-only contracting, sub-contracting, or home-working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

9.
No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed

9.1
Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation be prohibited.

The provisions of this code constitute minimum and not maximum standards, and this code should not be used to prevent companies from exceeding these standards. Companies applying this code are expected to comply with national and other applicable law and, where the provisions of law and this Base Code address the same subject, to apply that provision which affords the greater protection.

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