Workplace Code of Conduct

  1. Purpose:
    • To communicate our Workplace Code of Conduct to our stakeholders which includes employees, suppliers, customers and shareholders.
  1. Scope:
    • To ensure that Roaring Spring Paper Products is following all of the sections of the current FLA Code of Conduct and the current ETI Base Code.  Employees of Roaring Spring Paper Products will be trained on the Workplace Code of Conduct and any subsequent changes.  The Code of Conduct will be posted on employee bulletin boards throughout the factory.
  1. Employment Relationship:
    • Roaring Spring Paper Products shall adopt and adhere to rules and conditions of employment that respect workers and safeguards their rights under national and international labor and social security laws and regulations.
  1. Workplace Code of Conduct:

 

Forced Labor:
Employment is freely chosen.  There shall be no use of forced labor, including prison labor, indentured labor, bonded labor or other forms of forced labor.
No deposit or identity papers will be retained by Roaring Spring Paper Products.
Employees are free to leave employment at their discretion.

Child Labor shall not be used:
No person shall be employed under the age of 15 or under the age for compulsory education, whichever is higher.
Young persons under the age of 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.

Harassment or Abuse:
No harsh or inhumane treatment will be allowed.  Every employee shall be treated with respect and dignity. No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal harassment or abuse.  All forms of intimidation will be prohibited.

Nondiscrimination:
No discrimination is practiced.  No person shall be subject to any discrimination in employment, including hiring, compensation, advancement, access to training, discipline, termination, or retirement, based on gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, political opinion, social group or ethnic origin.

Health and Safety:
Working conditions are safe and hygienic.  Roaring Spring Paper Products shall provide a safe and healthy working environment to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of Roaring Spring Paper Products’ facilities.  Roaring Spring Paper Products shall adopt responsible measures to mitigate negative impacts that the workplace has on the environment.

Freedom of Association and the right to Collective Bargaining:
Roaring Spring Paper Products shall recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining.  No employee shall be subject to harassment, intimidation or retaliation for their efforts to freely associate or bargain collectively.  We will allow union organizers access to employees and will recognize the union of the employees’ choice.

Living Wages, Benefits and Compensation:
Every employee has a right to compensation for a regular work week that is sufficient to meet the employee’s basic needs and provide some discretionary income.  Roaring Spring Paper Products shall pay at least the minimum wage or the appropriate prevailing wage, whichever is higher, comply with all legal requirements on wages, and provide any legally mandated benefits.  Where compensation does not meet employees’ basic needs and provide some discretionary income, Roaring Spring Paper Products shall work with the appropriate agencies to take appropriate actions that seek to progressively realize a level of compensation that does.  Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure and not provided for by national law will not be permitted.

Hours of Work:
Working hours are not excessive.  Roaring Spring Paper Products’ present regular work week is 40 hours and shall not exceed 48 hours.  Roaring Spring Paper Products shall not require employees to work more than the regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country where the workers are employed.  Roaring Spring Paper Products shall allow workers at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every seven-day period. All overtime work shall be consensual.  Roaring Spring Paper Products shall not request overtime on a regular basis and shall compensate all work at a premium rate.  Other than in exceptional circumstances the sum of regular and overtime hours in a week shall not exceed 60 hours.

Regular Employment is provided:
To every extent possible, work performed will be based on the recognized employment relationship established through national law and the bargaining agreement.

Women’s Rights:
Women workers will receive equal remuneration; including benefits, equal treatment, equal evaluation of the quality of their work and equal opportunity to fill all positions open to male workers.  Pregnancy tests will not be a condition of employment, nor will they be demanded of employees.  Workers who take maternity leave will not face dismissal nor threat of dismissal, loss of seniority or deduction of wages, and will be able to return to their former employment at the same rate of pay and benefits after the maternity leave has ended.  Workers will not be forced or pressured to use contraception.  Workers, especially pregnant women, will not be exposed to hazards, including glues and solvents, that may endanger their safety (including their reproductive health), unless thorough protections are in place.  Appropriate services and accommodation to women workers in connection with pregnancy will be provided.