1. Purpose and Scope
Chieftain Fabrics is committed to ethical manufacturing, fair labour practices, and protecting the rights of children. This policy applies to our direct operations at our Irish manufacturing facility, all employees, contractors, and our global supply chain (including raw fibre, yarn, dye, and textile suppliers).
2. Policy Core Principles
- Zero Tolerance: We strictly prohibit the use of child labour in any part of our business or supply chain.
- Legal Compliance: We adhere to the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 138 and 182.
- Child Best Interests: If child labour is discovered in our supply chain, our primary response will be remediation focused on the child’s welfare, rather than a simple contract termination that could worsen their situation.
3. Definitions and Minimum Age Standards
3.1 Children (Under 16 Years)
- General Rule: Chieftain Fabrics does not employ children under the age of 16 for regular, full-time manufacturing operations.
- Exceptions for Light Work: Children aged 14 or 15 may only be engaged for light work during school holidays or as part of an approved transition year (TY) school work-experience program.
- Hours Capped: Maximum 7 hours per day and 35 hours per week during holidays (or 40 hours per week for official work experience).
Night Work Ban: No work is permitted between 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM.
3.2 Young Persons (16 and 17 Years)
- Working Limits: Permitted to work a maximum of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.
- Rest Periods: Mandatory 30-minute break after 4 hours of work. Minimum 14 hours of consecutive rest in every 24-hour period, and 2 days off per week.
- Night Work Ban: No work is permitted between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
4. Factory floor Safety and Prohibitions
The textile manufacturing environment contains inherent risks (e.g., heavy weaving machinery, chemical dyes, industrial cutting tools).
Hazardous Work: No person under 18 will operate heavy manufacturing machinery, handle hazardous textile chemicals, or work in high-noise environments.
Risk Assessments: Before hiring anyone under 18, a specific workplace risk assessment must be completed to ensure they are not exposed to physical or psychological harm.
5. Verification and Recruitment Procedures (Ireland)
Our HR department must follow these strict verification steps before any minor begins work:
- Age Verification: The candidate must provide an official, original birth certificate or passport. A copy will be securely kept on their HR file.
- Parental Consent: For any child under 16, written consent from a parent or legal guardian must be obtained prior to day one.
- Register of Young Persons: HR will maintain a statutory register detailing the employee’s full name, date of birth, start/end shift times, and total daily/weekly hours worked.
6. Supply Chain Integrity (Fabrics & Raw Materials)
As a fabric manufacturer, our supply chain risks sit primarily with raw material sourcing (e.g., cotton harvesting, spinning mills).
- Supplier Code of Conduct: All suppliers must sign our ethical code confirming they do not utilize child labour.
- Audits: We reserve the right to conduct unannounced third-party social audits (e.g., SMETA) of yarn and dye suppliers.
- Consequences: Failure to comply or cooperate with audits will result in the immediate suspension of the supplier contract.
7. Reporting and Remediation
- Internal Reporting: Staff who suspect a breach of this policy inside our factory or at a supplier site must report it immediately to HR Director
- Remediation Protocol: If a child is found working in our supply chain, we will work with the supplier and local NGOs to ensure the child is safely removed from work, provided with financial support, and enrolled in adequate schooling.