COMPANY VALUES

Blundstone operates on the basis of values with the utmost attention for the implementation of legal and ethical policies, practices and processes

OUR VALUES

Built on values that have stood the test of time.

BUILT ON VALUES THAT HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME

The Blundstone Group operates according to a set of values that ensures legal, ethical and responsible policies, practices and processes are always adopted and put into practice throughout the company. Our stated values are:

  • FAMILY - Our people are the driving force of our business. We care for, respect and value the diverse group who are a part of our family;
  • CUSTOMER - Our mission is to listen to, understand and deliver on the needs, wants and expectations of our consumers and our customers;

  • COMMUNITY - We are proud to be an active, positive and contributing member of our communities, locally and around the globe, today and for future generations;

  • DESIGN - We are committed to designing innovative, quality, honest products, services and experiences that are fit for purpose;

  • INTEGRITY - We always seek to do the right thing: to behave ethically; to act with integrity; and to minimise our impact on the environment. The Group – as well its individual team members – has won a number of prestigious community-based honours and awards in areas such as occupational health and safety, affirmative action, vocational education & training, process innovation and product quality, which serves as a testimony to our levels of performance and commitment to our communities. The Group also administers a program of charitable activity. The Blundstone Group fully supports and complies with the industry code of practice designed to prevent exploitation of home-based labour. The Group also ensures that neither we nor our suppliers unlawfully or unethically exploit adult or child labour.

ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS

Blundstone's history is closely linked with the social and industrial development of our island state from colonial times. We are conscious of our heritage and our responsibility to our environment and community.

Tasmania is internationally renowned for the high quality of its natural environment, including one of the last-remaining temperate wilderness areas of significant size, and standards of air and water quality which are global benchmarks. These assets are of intrinsic value to us, and underpin our future quality of life.

Our company is committed to the policies of sustainable development which are shaping the agricultural, industrial and commercial profile of our state. Blundstone pursues development policies which are evaluated with reference to environmental considerations. We maximise our use of recycled and recyclable materials in our manufacture and packaging.

We minimise the use of raw material, chemicals and fossil fuels. We conform, and where possible exceed, all federal, state and local government regulations and encourage our suppliers to do likewise.

ETHICAL EMPLOYMENT

Blundstone Australia Pty. Ltd is committed to ensuring that the people making our product are employed ethically and are free from exploitation. At a local level, this means that employment standards within our suppliers exceed the minimum government-prescribed standards in the country of operation. Blundstone takes a proactive approach to satisfying itself that the standard is maintained. This is achieved through a variety of means:

• The maintenance of contracts with our suppliers that require third-party accreditation and an associated audit regime in regard to employment standards;

• The contracts also stipulate that employees must be free to collectivise, and that the collective be able to represent the employees in negotiations in regard to employment conditions (in all cases, in practice this involves employees being union members);

• Access to the reports provided to our suppliers by the third-party standards accreditation agencies (generally this will be government departments of labour or internationally renowned commercial specialists in the field) and to follow-up reports regarding any issues raised in the audit process;

• An on-site Blundstone-employed presence that ensures that work undertaken on our behalf is completed in the establishment covered by the independent auditing regime;

• The on-site presence is also able to view the manner in which employees are treated by their employer at close hand;

• The understanding that, in all cases, people are employed in a market that values their skills, resulting in the opportunity to find employment elsewhere in the event that they were dissatisfied with the employment being provided by our suppliers.