Q & A
Where are BESTSELLER’s products produced?
We cooperate with 400 suppliers, who manufacture our products at 1,000 factories located in 25 countries. The primary production countries are China, India, Bangladesh and Turkey.
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How can you see where BESTSELLER’s products are manufactured?
All of our products are labelled with information about the production country.
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Does BESTSELLER often experience child labour at the factories?
No, today child labour rarely occurs at the factories that export products. BESTSELLER’s Code of Conduct states that workers at the factories manufacturing products for our company must not be under the age of 15. However, the reality of today is that many factories do not employ children under the age of 18. In BESTSELLER, we have written down a “Child Labour Policy” which must secure what is best for the child in case we should find an employee who is not old enough.
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What are the most common problems that BESTSELLER experiences at the factories?
Two of the biggest problems are long working hours and incorrect salaries. Besides that, different management issues can cause problems.
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How does BESTSELLER make sure that the suppliers live up to BESTSELLER’s Code of Conduct?
External auditing companies visit our suppliers to check up on their ability to follow our Code of Conduct. If they experience any issues that need to be followed up upon, they contact one of our own auditors located in the specific country. Then, in close cooperation with the supplier, our auditors make a plan for improving the issue(s) within a reasonable time. Afterwards, our auditors check up on the suppliers regularly and help them improve consistently. In countries where we don’t have our own auditors, external auditing companies do both initial and follow-up audits.
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Why has BESTSELLER chosen to use its own auditors?
In BESTSELLER, auditing is not just a matter of control, but also a way of getting closer to our suppliers. It is our belief that we will get the best results if we work closely together. Instead of only imposing restrictions on our suppliers, we also engage in dialogue with them in order to gain a common understanding. That is why we like to use internal auditors. However, we also use external auditors.
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Are BESTSELLER’s audits announced or unannounced?
We make both announced and unannounced audits at the factories. But we prefer to announce our visits on beforehand due to our belief that dialogue will create better results than control. By announcing the audits, we ensure that the people we wish to talk to are present. However, if we get the feeling that it is necessary to check up on them, we will pay them an unannounced visit afterwards.
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Does BESTSELLER stop the cooperation with a supplier who does not live up to BESTSELLER’s Code of Conduct?
To begin with we make an action plan with deadlines for the necessary improvements. These deadlines are determined in close cooperation with the supplier. If a supplier continues not to comply with the agreements made, a determination of the cooperation can be the consequence. It is important to us that our suppliers are willing to develop and work hard to make progress within the areas that we require.
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Does BESTSELLER ensure fair salaries at the factories?
BESTSELLER does not own any factories, but we work closely together with independent suppliers who not only manufacture products for us, but also for other textile companies. We do not determine and pay salaries to the workers, but in accordance with our Code of Conduct, we demand that our suppliers live up to the minimum wages imposed by the national governments. We regularly check if the suppliers comply with the law, and we inform the workers about their rights, but as a single company we cannot determine the salaries. However, it is not rare that the factories actually pay more than the minimum wage.
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Does BESTSELLER offer any support to the suppliers?
Yes, through our Better Supplier Programme we offer our suppliers training in how to optimise productivity and efficiency. Also, we offer guidance and directions on HR management and communication with the workers.
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How does BESTSELLER inform the workers at the factories about their rights?
We put posters on the walls at the factories, and we hand out booklets that explain the workers’ rights. Besides that, we have started up a training programme for workers at selected factories where they, among other things, will learn about their rights.
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Does BESTSELLER collaborate with other stakeholders?
Yes, BESTSELLER participated in the establishment of Danish Ethical Trading Initiative. The initiative is the first multi-stakeholder initiative in Denmark with focus on ethical trade. It unites companies, business organisations, trade unions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in a unique cooperation to find constructive solutions to the ethical challenges and dilemmas companies face when doing business with the developing countries and some of the new growth economies.
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Does BESTSELLER have a policy regarding the use of chemicals in the clothes?
Yes, BESTSELLER has set down demands on the limitation and prohibition of chemicals in all products manufactured for the company. BESTSELLER’s Chemical Restrictions are based on the latest scientific research and are formed according to a principle of caution. This means that our restrictions include substances that might have damaging consequences to humans or the environment, as well as substances which are proven to have a detrimental effect.
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Does BESTSELLER use sandblasting to make the jeans look worn?
No, BESTSELLER has decided to ban the use of sandblasting on our denim garments. We have had health and safety requirements for sandblasting for a long time, and it has been part of our auditing practices to check that the right precautions have been taken. However, in a long and complex supply chain there will always be a risk that not all suppliers live up to our requirements, and when it comes to human health we take no chances.
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Do the prints on BESTSELLER’s clothes contain phthalates?
No, BESTSELLER has not allowed the use of phthalates since 2002. Likewise, a number of other substances, which are suspected to be harmful to health, are not allowed in our products.
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Does BESTSELLER use real fur in products?
No, in BESTSELLER we have not used any kind of real fur since 2003. We make products of leather if the leather comes from animals that are part of a food production.
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Does BESTSELLER accept mulesing?
No, we condemn mulesing which is traditionally used on merino sheep in Australia.
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Does BESTSELLER use feathers from live birds?
No, we condemn the use of feathers from live birds. It is cruelty to animals and should never take place.
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How does BESTSELLER reduce the environmental impacts of production?
The overall aim of BESTSELLER's environmental work in the supply chain is to constantly encourage our suppliers to take measures to minimise the environmental impact in the supply chain. Our supply chain is often very long because our suppliers use subcontractors who also use subcontractors and so on. This means that BESTSELLER does not have direct business relations with all companies.
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Does BESTSELLER do business with Burma?
No, we have chosen not to do business with Burma due to the political situation in the country.
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Why does BESTSELLER not publish the names of the suppliers?
That is a decision we have chosen seen from a competitive perspective.
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