ECCO.com

Responsible business

Responsible for every step

ECCO is the only major shoe company to own and operate our own production and retail facilities. We recognise that with great influence comes great responsibility. We are proud to accept that responsibility and do our best to make our impact on this planet as light as possible.

Responsible Business

Code of Conduct

Wherever we operate, ECCO wishes to be a good corporate citizen. The ECCO Code of Conduct describes our social and environmental responsibilities. It outlines the core principles that govern how ECCO conducts its business. The Code applies to all employees, suppliers and business partners worldwide. Our Code of Conduct is built on a foundation of respect for people, the environment and society. It sets out clear principles and high ethical and legal standards in the areas of human rights, education, health and safety, and the environment.

The ECCO Code of Conduct

Responsible business

Tracing our performance

We assess and monitor performance and compliance with our standards through our comprehensive Global Audit Programme. This programme evaluates compliance with our Code of Conduct, including issues ranging from employment and pay practices, waste management, resource utilisation, working conditions, health and safety, and prevention of industrial accidents to respect for culture, freedom of religion, non-discrimination and union relations.

Our internal Code of Conduct audit team conducts audits at ECCO’s own tanneries and shoe factories, and at external suppliers. Our internal audit team is reinforced with external professional organisations.

Responsible business

How do we audit

Every day the ECCO Code of Conduct and related policies are transformed from paper to practice. ECCO has an internal Code of Conduct audit team of 25 employees who conduct audits – both at ECCO’s own tanneries and shoe factories, and at external suppliers.

Our auditors conduct extensive tours of all areas of a facility, including production, storage, utilities, medical clinics, canteen and dormitories. While they tour facilities, auditors point out examples of best practice and areas of improvement.

Key areas assessed by external auditors like e.g. the rigorous Working Group protocol include environmental management systems, water usage, energy consumption, air emissions, effluent treatment and waste management. Other external auditors concentrate on issues related to working conditions, such as health and safety, working hours and salaries.

Responsible business

Continuous Improvement

Our auditors award points for performance and compliance with the 10 Commitments of the ECCO Code of Conduct. They present an Audit Summary, including an audit score, and together with management prepare an Action Plan with realistic deadlines.

If an audit reveals inadequate performance, ECCO works with the supplier to ensure that the necessary improvements are made within a reasonable timeframe. ECCO will discontinue a relationship if the supplier is not willing to collaborate on the measurements requested.

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People

Taking Care of Each Other

ECCO is committed to treating people with dignity and respect. We are guests in each of the countries in which we operate and we will always respect the local culture.

The health, safety and well being of employees continue to be primary concerns. ECCO does business fairly and creates an environment of cooperation and inclusion in the workplace.

People

Human rights and respect for diversity

ECCO respects each individual and wants all its employees to be treated with respect and dignity. With activities in more than 90 countries of unique cultures and customs, ECCO experiences the strength that comes from diversity every day.

The ECCO Code of Conduct states that ECCO, in all decisions and all actions, will remember that it is a guest in each of the countries in which it operates and will always respect the local culture.

People

When prayer is an everyday event

ECCO’s shoe factory and tannery in Indonesia operate in the world’s largest Muslim country, and of the 7,000 employees who work there, approximately 95% are practising Muslims. Religion and prayer are a part of everyday life at the factory.

According to Islam, believers must pray five times a day, if possible. Being a guest in Indonesia ECCO wishes to respect this and has furnished eight prayer rooms in the factory. Special washroom facilities have also been installed to give the employees the opportunity to cleanse themselves before prayer as prescribed by Islamic law.

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Environment

Environment

We constantly strive to reduce the environmental impact of our operations while increasing the positive impact we have in our communities. We wish to be an environmentally responsible neighbour and conserve resources for future generations through sustainable development.

As a manufacturer of leather and shoes we consume natural resources every day. In step with increases in production capacity, we ensure that we implement environmentally sound methods and technology. Continuous improvement is approached from all angles, from employee-driven environmental initiatives, to investing in renewable energy, as well as modifying production processes to reduce consumption.

Environment

Principles

ECCO follows the principles of reduce, reuse, repair and recycle to measure its impact on the environment. Our ECCO Environmental Management System (EEMS) and our Lean production methods foster a continual improvement and waste-elimination culture that involves all employees. Together, we work to increase our energy efficiency, decrease water use and waste, prevent pollution, reduce and reuse materials, and recycle waste from our tanneries and shoe factories.

Environment

Energy

ECCO is continually seeking ways to increase energy efficiency. We realise that even small energy-saving measures can result in large environmental gains. We conserve energy through the development of new technologies, renewable energy and cost-effective improvements in our operations. We encourage our employees worldwide to take action in their workplaces and business operations to reduce energy consumption, improve energy efficiency and use available technology to reduce business travel. Our teams strive to simplify operations and equipment and optimise product and process design to reduce energy consumption.

Environment

Waste

Both the consumption of energy and the use of raw materials are closely supervised, so that in all ECCO’s tanneries and shoe factories there is as little waste as possible. This includes the use of modern technologies, production equipment and manufacturing processes. Lean production methods significantly improve our environmental performance by systematically identifying and eliminating waste. This lean culture makes continuous improvement a way of life and encourages all workers to contribute ideas.

Environment

Water

Fresh water is a limited resource. We are committed to the development of water management practices that minimise the use of water in our operations and conserve fresh water resources.

At ECCO we work to improve water efficiency by applying best practice technologies and implementing effective water management techniques. Many efforts target process management, increasing the number of possibilities to carefully monitor and measure consumption at every step and station of production. Also, process integrated measures have led to a significant reduction of water consumption and at the same time to a significant reduction of waste.

Chemicals

We care about our employees and the communities in which we live and work. We continually work to limit the use of chemical substances and minimise their impact on human health and the environment. Our chemical management ensures that all chemicals and materials in our operations are managed safely and responsibly.

We substitute chemicals with products or systems with less environmental impact wherever possible. We minimise the use of chemicals at individual workplaces, train and educate employees in the handling of chemicals and carefully control chemical waste management.

Society

Wherever we operate, we believe in being involved in the communities of which we are a part. We have a long tradition of working together with communities in the areas of education, health and welfare, infrastructure and disaster relief.

As an example in ECCO Indonesia you find ECCINDOMART which is a co-op store based on the Indonesian community principle called “koperasi”. The setup is common in Indonesia. The community around the ECCINDOMAART and the users are the approx. 7,000 employees in Indonesia.

The ECCINDOMART sells convenience goods and discount shoes, and provides small loans to its members. The shop is managed according to traditional Indonesian principles of self-help through cooperation, mutual aid among members, thrift, equality and equity.

Business Partners

Suppliers and partners

We realise that our corporate responsibility reaches beyond the boundaries of our own operations. Choosing good partners is essential to growing sustainably and responsibly as a company. Building strong, long-term relationships with key partners and suppliers, based on common values and objectives, is vital to ensuring social and environmental stewardship.

We require suppliers to commit to the ethical, social and environmental requirements of the ECCO Code of Conduct as a condition of their contracts with us. Our business partners around the globe – including suppliers, wholesale and retail customers – are expected to meet business objectives while complying with the standards of our Code of Conduct.

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Our Stories

Honour to ECCO Xiamen for Great Employment

ECCO Xiamen received the ‘National Advanced Enterprise for Employment’ award from the State Council of China in 2012 - the highest employer award ever granted at a national level.

The State Council honoured ECCO for being in strict compliance with labour laws and regulations, making an outstanding contribution to creating employment positions for physically-challenged employees, serving as a role model and enjoying a positive social reputation.

ECCO was also commended for contributing to the local community. Particularly notable was the fact that 73% of ECCO’s 3,300 Xiamen employees reside in the local area, which is an unusually high proportion for labour-intensive companies in China.

Our Stories

Flooding in Thailand

In October 2011, the worst disaster in ECCOs history hit Thailand. From one day to the next, many employees were left homeless. Since then, 1,630 employees have received economic support based on the employee collection and the donation from the Toosbuy Foundation.

Via internal and external media ECCO employees all over the globe followed the flooding disaster. Spontaneously, the idea emerged that the employees wanted to support their colleagues in Thailand. The idea grew and spread to become a global initiative, with employees from around the world donating money.

The donations ultimately resulted in EUR 100,000 donation from the employees and the Toosbuy Foundation added EUR 1 million, which was established as a common fund.

Our Stories

ECCO’s Rescue Team

While none of our employees were injured by the flooding in Thailand in October 2011, hundreds lost their homes and thousands were affected. After the evacuation of the buildings, ECCO in Thailand immediately began relief operations, ensuring the safety of 3,500 employees and their families. The first response was providing food and medical help, and finding shelter.

Our relief teams collected drinking water, food, blankets and medicine, and delivered them by boat to people stranded in their homes. The teams worked hard to get essential items to where people needed them most - even as some of their own homes were flooded.

ECCO provided temporary shelter for hundreds of families. The relief teams set up mobile kitchens, generators and a medical clinic. They served meals at a number of relief locations and delivered to as many as 1,000 families.

Our Stories

From Relief to Rebuilding in Thailand

As the floodwaters gradually receded in November 2011, and the full extent of the damage could be seen, attention turned to the repair and rebuilding tasks. Calls poured in from employees asking how they could do more to help.

Hundreds of ECCO employees showed up every morning, willing to do whatever was necessary to get the community around Ayutthaya back on its feet.

ECCO worked closely with the Danish Red Cross and local police authorities to identify the best way to deliver help to the most needed areas, so that it directly benefited affected families and community sites. Employees and the local authorities rallied together – clearing debris, hosing down floors, scrubbing walls and cleaning schools.

Over 100 ECCO employees joined the police authorities to remove all sand bags from the area and clean Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan - the main temple of Ayutthaya. In just a few weeks, ECCO employees had helped the local police re-open 10 schools and restore 20 temples.

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