More than 74 000 items

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Sustainability

  • Certifications

    Certificates

    Our stock range is 100% CERTIFIED!

     

    Our articles are in compliance with the European Laws and Regulations.

    Product certification is increasingly important within the promotional gifts industry. While most of the suppliers have just begun certifying, our department of Laws and Regulations is having our articles tested on a daily basis, to make sure we can deliver the requested certificates.

    Certification shows that the product officially complies with European guidelines and regulations concerning safety and environment. These certificates are a priority for us, because it is very important for you to be able to work with products that comply with the European directives. Your clients will increasingly ask about them, because European laws require that promotional gifts have such certificates.

    Ahead of the competition

    At Giving Europe we foresaw that laws and regulations would become increasingly stringent. Even before other parties, we started taking measures in order to be able to provide our products with the necessary certificates. With no intention to brag we may say, though, that because of our proactive attitude we are ahead of our colleagues.

    No risk for end-buyers

    With almost all the items of the Giving Europe assortment you can assure your clients they are safe. An extra sales argument for you. For your clients another reason to choose for Giving Europe’s products. Clients choose certainty. A mistake, or even a recall as a consequence of a poor product, is the nightmare of any client who is proud of their image and built brand awareness.

    Certification as a priority

    We take care. We are sure to verify that products meet the strict European standards before we distribute them to our customers. This monitoring is an ongoing process, also because we innovate and source new products. Independent authorities and our own department of Legislation and Regulations check and test our products continuously on every category necessary to obtain a certificate for a product; every type of product has specific criteria which it must meet. This requires an investment of time and money. We are not saving on this, on the contrary, right now it is one of our priorities.

    CSR

    Giving Europe focuses on CSR

    According to Giving Europe Founder Stef van der Velde, “CSR is about more than just sustainability. I refer to being CSR-proof as the ‘life insurance’ of the promotional gifts sector. As an industry, we have to fight against excess and ensure that generally applicable values and standards with regard to people and the environment are respected in full. Clients are also increasingly focusing on this and ultimately want to work with companies that take CSR seriously. I hope that our CSR policy will serve as an example to other suppliers and that as distributors, we can demonstrate the importance of CSR to our entire industry.”

     

    Van der Velde also explains that virtually the entire range of products at Giving Europe is certified according to official and necessary EU specifications. “This certification is a great reassurance to distributors, as it enables them to present the official certificate to their customers along with the product if desired.

    2016 will mark the start of the year in which we at Giving Europe celebrate our 15th anniversary. Over the past 15 years, Giving Europe has developed into a major player in the market with its headquarters in the Netherlands and various individual offices across Europe. As part of this anniversary, we are placing special emphasis on CSR and sustainability. We will explain all of our current and future efforts in this field and the benefits they have for distributors in our CSR brochure, which summarises and briefly explains everything. “Ask us for it!”

    A continuous and proactive process

    Stef van der Velde: “As part of our efforts to prioritise CSR, Giving Europe complies with the relevant ISO standard (26000:2010) and BSCI, which defines social responsibility for organisations and enterprises.

    This is a continuous, proactive process. We record our operations – there are new activities all the time and we adjust existing processes as required. ISO 26000 is a complete ‘story’ in that it covers all the various (social) issues.

    BSCI

    Giving Europe has been a member of BSCI since 2015. An international network organisation (1.800 members in 30 countries) with focus on labour conditions in producing countries, members share information in the field of social compliance and social responsibility. This information consists of audits which are performed and shared by the members. The organisation is quite well-known by end-clients.

     

    The BSCI membership emphasizes that doing business with Giving Europe guarantees honest purchased and delivered products, produced in humane circumstances. Being committed to ISO26000 and BSCI means doing internal and external audits on a regular basis to maintain a certain level of control and safety.

  • Agenda 2030

    Focus target
    We focus on the areas of sustainability in which we have the greatest impact from sustainability and business strategic perspective and which have been given the highest priority by MEC Gruppen AB. Our priority areas, increase sustainable consultancy, sustainable working life and growth in society, permeate our overall strategy and our business goals for 2019 – 2022.

    Our responsibility
    Our business is based on our customers, owners, employees, suppliers and industry organizations having confidence in MEC Gruppen AB and for the values ​​we represent.

    We operate in an environment with high expectations and thereby have a responsibility towards both society and our customers. This means delivering products and services based on high quality, professionalism, integrity, confidentiality and a good judgment.

    A large part of our business is well regulated and thus good risk management, regulatory compliance, internal governance and control are important prerequisites. Fundamental to our ethical behavior is our sustainability policy, which is based on the UN Global Compact’s 10 principles.

    We safeguard a culture where every employee has a responsibility to act ethically and to comply with applicable regulations.

    Contribute to agenda 2030
    The business community has an important role to play in achieving the UN’s global sustainability goals. We have identified six priority goals for us and linked them to our strategic goals in order to integrate them into our business.Read more at https://www.globalamalen.se/ run by the UN Development program (UNDP)
  • Code of conduct
    CODE OF CONDUCT

    This code of conduct is based on the highest internationally accepted standards and each manufacturer guarantees that the conditions and undertakings herein shall apply within their own manufacturing facilities as well as its subcontractors.

    1. GENERAL PRINCIPLE

    1.1 All manufacturers contracted to make products for MEC Gruppen must operate in full compliance with the local and national laws of their respective countries and with all other applicable laws, rules and regulations.

    Requirements in this Code of Conduct are minimum requirements and do not restrict more beneficial policy standards.

    1.2 MEC Gruppen will only do business with compa-nies that use sound and ethical practices, minimise the potential for conflicts of interest, prohibit the giving or receiving of gifts and gra-tuities and which place the utmost importance in truth and full disclosure.

    2. LEGAL AND ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES

    Manufacturers and subcontractors must fully comply with all applicable local, state, federal, national and international laws, rules and regulations including, but not limited to, those relating to wages, hours, labour, health and safety and immigration.

    Manufacturers and subcontractors must be ethical in their business practices.

    3. CHILD LABOUR

    Children or minors under the minimum working age established by local law or having completed compul-sory schooling or under the age of 15 years (or 14 years in those countries referred to in article 2.4 of ILO convention no. 138). Workers under eighteen (18) years of age shall not be used in work that carries health or safety risks.

    4. FORCED LABOUR

    MEC Gruppen will not purchase products or components thereof from manufacturers that use forced labour, prison labour, indentured labour or exploited bonded labour, nor shall personnel be required to lodge ‘deposits’ or original identity papers upon commencing employment with the company or permit their manufacturers to do so.

    5. HEALTH AND SAFETY

    5.1 The working environment shall be safe and healthy and the manufacturer shall take adequate steps to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, is associated with or occurs in the course of work by minimising the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.

    5.2 Clean bathrooms and access to potable water shall be provided for use by all workers. If dormitory facilities are provided for workers they shall be clean, safe, meet the basic needs and must be sufficiently lighted and ventilated. If the supplier provides employee housing facilities, these shall be safe and hygienic, and shall provide satisfactory personal privacy and space.

    5.3 Fire alarm, fire exits and fire extinguishers shall be available and displayed as well as regularly maintained, charged and inspected. The exits shall allow for the orderly evacuation in case of fire or other emergencies. Emergency exit routes shall be posted and clearly marked in all sections of the manufacturer’s facilities and dormitory facilities.

    Emergency exits shall be kept clear at all times.

    5.4 The manufacturer shall keep at least one well-stocked first aid kit easily accessible in each working or dormitory area.

    6. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

    The manufacturer shall recognise and respect the rights of workers to freely associate and to bargain collectively in accordance with the laws of the countries in which they are employed.

    7. DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL TREATMENT

    The manufacturer shall not engage in or support dis-crimination in hiring, remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, colour, caste, national origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union membership, political affiliation, maternity, marital status or age.

    8. HARASSMENT

    The manufacturer may not subject employees to corporal punishment, physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal harassment or abuse. In addition, the manu-facturer may not use monetary fines as a disciplinary practice. Behaviour, including gestures, language and physical contact that are sexually coercive.

    9. WORKING HOURS

    9.1 Manufacturers shall not require their workers to work more than the limits on regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country in which they are employed. Except under extraordinary business circumstances, workers shall be entitled to one day off in every seven day period.

    Manufacturers must inform their workers at the time of their hiring if mandatory overtime is a condition of their employment. Manufacturers shall not compel their workers to work excessive over-time hours.

    9.2 Workers shall be compensated for overtime hours at such premium rate as is legally required in the country of manufacture or, in countries where such laws do not exist, at a rate at least equal to their regular hourly compensation rate.

    10. WAGES AND BENEFITS

    10.1 All workers and employees shall be paid at least the minimum total compensation required by law applicable in the country of employment including all mandated wages, allowances and benefits. All workers and employees shall have the right to equal pay for equal work as well as periodic holiday with pay.

    10.2 Provisions and regulations applicable to man-dated benefits including but not limited to housing, meals, transportation and other allowances, health care, child care, sick leave, emergency leave, preg-nancy and menstrual leave, vacation, religious, be-reavement and holiday leave as well as contributions for social security, life, health and other insurance must be strictly complied with.

    11. ENVIRONMENT

    11.1 The manufacturer shall comply with all environ-mental laws and regulations applicable to the local surroundings and its business. Practices that minimize the impact on the environment shall be encouraged. Care must be taken with any environmentally sensitive substance or process.

    11.2 When the manufacturer has the choice between two chemicals with the same function, he shall choose the chemical that is the least hazardous to the environment.

    11.3 MEC GRUPPEN AB strongly encourages its Suppliers and their subcontractors to surpass mere compliance with local environment laws by adopting best practice principles and to continuously seek improved methods to minimize any adverse environmental impact of their operations.

    12. IMPLEMENTATION

    The manufacturer shall translate this Code of Conduct into the local language and display the conditions prominently in the places of work and workers dormitory facilities.

    13. MONETORING AND COMPLIANCE

    13.1 MEC GRUPPEN AB nominated representatives are entitled to visit the manufact-urers and its subcontractor’s plants at any time in order to inspect the conditions therein and investigate whether or not the Code of Conduct is being complied with.

    13.2 The manufacturer shall fully cooperate with MEC GRUPPEN AB during inspections carried out at its or its subcontractors facilities, there included also the providing of relevant documents in order to enable MEC GRUPPEN AB to fully carry out the inspection.

    14. SANCTIONS

    Violations by the manufacturer, or by the manufac-turer’s subcontractors, of this Code of Conduct shall be appropriately remedied at the cost of the manufacturer. MEC GRUPPEN AB reserves the right to take necessary measures to ensure future compliance with the Code of Conduct. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may ultimately result in termination without compensation of the relationship between MEC GRUPPEN AB and the manufacturer.

    15. FACILITY SECURITY

    Adequate security must be maintained within the premises of the manufacturer to prevent the introduction of non-manifested goods into outbound shipments.

    AGREEMENT OF THE MANUFACTURER

    We, the undersigned, acknowledge receipt of this Code of Conduct. We have read, understood and agree that we comply and will continue to comply with all the conditions stipulated herein. We also undertake to ensure that all subcontractors engaged on our behalf comply and will comply with all the conditions stipulated herein and understand that clause 15 is applicable also in case only the subcontractor has committed any breach hereof.

  • Folder Sustainability

  • Sustainable logistics

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