Updated October 2022
VF Corporation is a Purpose-led, performance-driven and value-creating organization. Our success is built on a culture of integrity, empathy, curiosity, perseverance and courage. These values extend to the expectations we have of those with whom we do business.
These Global Compliance Principles apply to all facilities that produce goods for VF Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, divisions, or affiliates, including facilities owned and operated by VF and its contractors, agents and suppliers, referred to in this document as VF Authorized Facilities.
While these Global Compliance Principles set forth the basic requirements that must be met in order to do business with VF, we strongly encourage VF Authorized Facilities to exceed these principles and to promote best practices and continuous improvement throughout all of their facilities.
Principle 1 – Legal and Ethical Business Practices VF Authorized Facilities must fully comply with all applicable local, state, federal, national, and international laws, rules and regulations including those relating to wages, hours, employment, labor, health and safety, the environment, immigration and the apparel and footwear industry. VF Authorized Facilities must be ethical in their business practices.
Principle 2 – Child/Juvenile Labor No person shall be employed at an age younger than 15 or under the age for completing compulsory education in the country of manufacture, whichever is higher. VF Authorized Facilities must observe all legal requirements for work of employees under 18 years of age, particularly those pertaining to hours of work and working conditions.
Principle 3 – Forced Labor VF Authorized Facilities shall not use involuntary or forced labor, including indentured labor, bonded labor or any other form of forced labor, including human trafficking.
Principle 4 – Wages and Benefits Every worker has a right to compensation for a regular work week that is sufficient to meet the worker’s basic needs and provide some discretionary income. VF Authorized Facilities must compensate their employees fairly by providing compensation packages comprised of wages and benefits that, at the very least, comply with legally mandated minimum standards or the prevailing industry wage, whichever is higher, and shall provide any benefits required by law. Employees must be fully compensated at a premium rate for overtime according to local law and each employee must be provided with a clear, written accounting for each pay period. Where compensation does not meet workers’ basic needs and provide some discretionary income VF Authorized Facilities should work with VF to make improvements and take other appropriate actions that seek to progressively realize a level of compensation that does.
Principle 5 – Hours of Work VF Authorized Facilities must comply with the legal limitations on regular and overtime hours in the jurisdiction in which they manufacture. Employees must not be required, except in extraordinary circumstances, to work more than sixty hours per week including overtime or the local legal requirement, whichever is less. A regular work week shall not exceed 48 hours. All overtime must be consensual and not requested on a regular basis. All employees will be entitled to at least 24 hours of consecutive rest in every seven-day period.
Principle 6 – Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining VF Authorized Facilities 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 in their efforts to freely associate or bargain collectively.
Principle 7 – Discrimination Employment – including hiring, remuneration, benefits, advancement, termination, and retirement – must be based on ability and not on any other personal characteristics. VF Authorized Facilities must not discriminate based on race, color, gender, age, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, or any other legally protected factor.
Principle 8 – Harassment VF Authorized Facilities must treat all workers with respect and dignity. VF Authorized Facilities must not subject workers to corporal punishment, physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal harassment or abuse. In addition, VF Authorized Facilities must not use monetary fines as a disciplinary practice.
Principle 9 – Women’s Rights VF Authorized Facilities must ensure that women workers 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 workers. Workers who take maternity leave (of a duration determined by local and national laws) must not face dismissal nor threat of dismissal, loss of seniority, or deduction of wages, and must be able to return to their former or comparable employment at the same rate of pay and benefits. Workers must not be forced or pressured to use contraception. Workers must not be exposed to hazards,including glues and solvents, which may endanger their safety, including their reproductive health. Facilities must provide appropriate services and accommodation to women workers in connection with pregnancy.
Principle 10 – Subcontracting VF Authorized Facilities shall not use subcontractors in the manufacturing of VF products or components without VF’s written approval and only after the subcontractor has agreed to comply with these Global Compliance Principles.
Principle 11 – Worker Residence (Dormitory) Dormitories of VF Authorized Facilities must provide a clean, safe and healthy residence environment. The dormitory design must provide adequate privacy, security and freedom of movement for all occupants. Dormitory facilities must comply with all applicable, legally mandated standards for public domiciles in the countries and communities in which they operate.
Principle 12 – Facility Security All VF Authorized Facilities must establish facility security procedures to guard against the introduction of non-manifested cargo into outbound shipments. Such items would include drugs, biological agents, explosives, weapons, radioactive materials, undocumented migrants/stowaways and other contraband.
Principle 13 – Health & Safety VF Authorized Facilities must provide their workers with a clean, safe, and healthy work environment, designed to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of or occurring while at work. VF Authorized Facilities are required to comply with all applicable, legally mandated standards for workplace health and safety in the countries and communities in which they operate.
Principle 14 – Environment VF Authorized Facilities must comply with all laws and regulations relating to environmental protection in the countries in which they operate. Facilities must have policies and procedures in place to ensure environmental impacts are minimized with respect to energy, air emissions, water, waste, hazardous materials, and other significant environmental risks. Facilities are expected to make sustainable improvements in environmental performance and require the same of their suppliers and subcontractors.
Principle 15 – Informed Workplace VF Authorized Facilities should inform employees about all workplace standards orally and through the posting of standards in a prominent place and undertake other efforts to educate employees about the standards on a regular basis.
Principle 16 – Monitoring and Compliance VF Authorized Facilities must maintain on site all documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with these Global Compliance Principles. VF and its subsidiaries will undertake affirmative measures, such as announced and unannounced on-site inspections of production facilities, to monitor compliance with these Global Compliance Principles. VF Authorized Facilities must allow VF representatives full access to production facilities, employee records and employees for confidential interviews in connection with monitoring visits. In addition, VF Authorized Facilities must respond promptly to reasonable inquiries by VF representatives concerning the subjects addressed in the audit. VF Authorized Facilities must never offer gifts, cash or other incentives to influence a business decision or to retain business with VF.
Violations of these Global Compliance Principles will be appropriately remedied at the cost of the facility. VF reserves the right to take necessary measures to ensure future compliance with these Global Compliance Principles. Failure to comply with these Global Compliance Principles may result in termination of the relationship between VF and the Authorized Facility.