Our Suppliers

COVID-19 statement & commitments

Country Road Group is committed to responsible sourcing, which includes protecting the livelihoods of vulnerable workers in our supply chain and upholding human rights standards.

We welcome the united effort to take immediate action to protect workers in the global supply chain. We join with brands, NGOs and multi-stakeholder initiatives to endorse the COVID-19: Action in the Global Garment Industry led by the ILO.

As we continue to improve our role as a responsible retailer and as part of our Good Business Journey, we are committed to:

• Working closely with our supply chain partners to help them survive and thrive
• Assessing and monitoring risks in our supplier base
• Protecting workers in our supply chain
• Continuing our journey towards building a resilient supply chain.

Code of Labour Practice

All manufacturers must adhere to the Code of Labour Practice which is aligned with the International Labour Organisation's conventions in relation to ethical trade and the Ethical Trade Initiative base code.

Our Code of Labour Practice supports the following ethical trading principles:

• That employment be freely chosen, not forced, bonded or resulting in involuntary prison labour;
• That freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining is respected;
• That working conditions are safe and hygienic;
• That child labour will not be permitted;
• That living wages should be paid;
• That working hours are not excessive;
• That discrimination should never be permitted or tolerated;
• That regular employment is provided;
• That harsh or inhumane treatment should not be allowed; and
• Commitment to compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations, and a commitment to environmental efficiency and improvement over time.

Suppliers undergo regular social compliance checks conducted by independent auditors, or are required to supply audit reports from independent auditors, to ensure they meet the standards of the code.

Modern Slavery

The Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018 reporting, which was built around the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP's) requires businesses operating in Australia with consolidated revenue of $100 million+ to report annually on the risks of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.

It is required to detail actions taken to address risks identified and determine measures to assess effectiveness.

To read our Modern Slavery Statement/s, please click on the link below:

Commitment to a Living Wage

Country Road Group endorses the Global Living Wage Coalition and Anker Methodology definition of a living wage and is committed to promoting conditions that support every worker's opportunity to receive a living wage. This is a complex global issue that we are invested in addressing in partnership with our industry peers and through strategic engagement as a member of the Ethical Trade Initiative. Working closely with these supportive partners, we are committed to reviewing and updating our living wage roadmap by December 2025, that will outline our timeline and approach for achieving a living wage across our supply chain.

To inform our living wage roadmap, we are committed to completing a living wage gap analysis to understand the difference between current factory level wages and the relevant living wage benchmark. We also commit to separating or “ring-fencing” labour costs within any open product costings with our suppliers to ensure that worker wages are protected during any price negotiations.

Addressing living wage with our suppliers and partners is an important part of our work at Country Road Group, and we look forward to updating our community and customers with the details of our progress and targets as we continue on our living wage journey.

Environmental Code of Practice

All manufacturers must adhere to the Environmental Code of Practice for the dyeing, printing and finishing of products supplied. This code aims to ensure that within existing technology, no dye or chemical used in the production of garments, fabrics, leather and/or textile related products presents an unacceptable health or environmental risk during manufacturing, use or disposal. Suppliers are responsible for ensuring that both their own facilities and those of their third party suppliers follow the guidelines in the code.

Animal Welfare Policy

All manufacturers are required to promote animal welfare by minimising any potential harm, stress or pain to animals, and adhering to relevant national and international standards for animal welfare.

In response to the animal welfare concerns highlighted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Country Road Group ceased ordering product containing angora in January 2014. We will maintain this position until ethical standards are being followed by the angora industry.

Signatory to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh

In August 2021 the Country Road Group committed to the new International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry. This agreement is a revision and expansion of the Bangladesh Accord which officially expired on 31st August 2021, after 8 years operating in Bangladesh following the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in 2013 where tragically, over 1130 people were killed.

This agreement is made between brands and global unions to protect the safety of workers and improve conditions in the supply chain.

The new Accord will continue to support the current operations in Bangladesh by continuing to commit to funding the fire and building safety work through the RSC, and within the next six months the new Accord look to assess the ability to extend these efforts to protecting workers in other countries, beyond Bangladesh.