Community
The Group continues to procure merchandise from manufacturers who can show that they uphold ethical employment and trading practices.
The Group has a Code of Ethics that it requires every supplier to adhere to. Amongst other matters the Code provides for fair treatment of workers ensuring products are made in a safe environment, in accordance with all the relevant local and national laws to ensure workers are treated with respect and are paid fairly for what they do. It also ensures there is no child labour and no use of illegal means or materials in the production of goods.
The Group has worked for many years with two leading supply chain companies in Singapore and in South Korea to procure much of its own brand goods.
The Group believes that using their local knowledge, expertise and experience, it benefits the business and the communities in which they operate more effectively than if the Group carried on its own procurement activities in those countries. Both companies have the highest social and business ethics codes which match our Code of Ethics, the BSCI Code of Conduct (which is based upon the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights), ISO9001 and the Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) Code.
The Group relies on those supply chain companies to inspect all suppliers and manufacturers premises.
Frequent inspections are carried out randomly at short notice to ensure that the goods meet the Group’s quality standards as well as assessing continued compliance with SA8000 and the Group’s Code of Ethics. We immediately cease work with suppliers who do not meet our criteria.
The Group complies with an internationally recognised list of chemicals that are banned for use in fabrics. The supply chain companies conduct random tests on fabric which are then taken to a recognised laboratory for quality testing and to check that these banned chemicals are not being used.
The Group has forged long-term relationships with suppliers who have demonstrated that their work practices are consistent with the Group’s standards. Approximately 40% of the Group’s current suppliers have been working with Group companies for 10 years or more.
Slazenger is the exclusive cricket equipment supplier to the country’s most recognised grassroots cricket development programme, ‘Chance to Shine’ supported by Brit Insurance. It is run by the Cricket Foundation charity and delivers individual projects across England and Wales. The projects provide structured coaching alongside a competition programme for a Group of schools that would not normally have the chance to participate in the sport. In 2011, ‘Chance to Shine’ in its 6th year delivered qualified coaching sessions throughout 3,807 schools with 12,532 new club members achieved. Subject to funding, the programme will reach one third of all primary and secondary schools and support two million young people by 2015.
To date, over 1 million children have benefited from the programme, 45 percent of whom were girls. Cricket equipment to the value of £250,000 has been supplied by Slazenger to enable the programme to run successfully.
Over 1,000 children worldwide are continuing to benefit from Dunlop’s global “D Squad” talent support programme which continues to increase participation and performance levels of the
most talented juniors in tennis from around the world. Dunlop also work in conjunction with its sponsored professional golfers Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke to supply clothing to their respective ‘Golf Schools’, which provide qualified coaching and mentoring to youngsters from across the UK. Over £15,000 worth of clothing has been donated to the schemes so far.
In the United States, Everlast, one of the Group’s specialist fight sports brands, supports numerous initiatives. Everlast is the official sponsor of USA Boxing, which is are the national governing body of amateur Olympic-style boxing. Each year Everlast supplies the not-for-profit organisation with training and competition apparel, footwear and equipment. Everlast contributed $280,000 to support the men and women’s teams that competed in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Additionally, in 2012 Everlast will continue to support the New York Golden Gloves, the most prestigious grassroots boxing competition in the US. Each year Everlast supply over $20,000 worth of apparel, footwear and equipment to the 900 amateur men and women boxers who participate.
Everlast is also a major supporter of the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation, a non-profit organisation that provides financial support to those in need, particularly children. In 2011, Everlast made charitable contributions of $14,000 and was present at the annual Atlas golf outing and the Atlas Foundation dinner.
Everlast has been a proud supporter of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF) since 2006. Each year, Everlast donates a proportion of sale proceeds from select Everlast pink products to help the foundation raise money for clinical and genetic research. In 2011, Everlast donated $115,000, the largest donation to date.
Antigua golf apparel was once again appointed the official apparel sponsor for all staff and officials of the prestigious Sime Darby LPGA 2011 Malaysia tournament, due to its solid reputation in quality and performance. Antigua is retailing at all 42 MST GOLF retail outlets nationwide and a percentage of all apparel sales were donated to the Cancer Research Initiatives Research Foundation (CARIF) and Breast Cancer Welfare Association of Malaysia (BCWA), under MST Golf Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. MST Golf donated over RM 100,000 (U$35,000) in the first year alone, to be shared by both foundations from sales proceeds of Antigua apparel. Being an ardent supporter of this worthy cause, MST Golf has decided to extend its Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign for another year until next year’s event in October. By taking a proactive stand, the company intends to work closer with CARIF and BCWA in 2012 with activities such as seminars and in-store campaigns to educate the public, in hope of reducing mortality rate through better knowledge and early detection.
