CODE OF CONDUCT
Code of conduct commitments:
Hevea is a Danish company committed to a global Code of Conduct in our business practices.
We operate in different countries and with many different cultures so we need shared standards, practices and ethical behaviours throughout our partnerships.
Our Hevea Code of Conduct is a set of eight fundamental principles we adhere to in order to help create social responsibility through business.
We practise transparency in our business operations openly explaining our work and commitments, because we hope to educate our colleagues, consumers and society in a positive way.
1.Working terms:
Hevea has excellent relationships, co-operating with our product manufacturers in Malaysia (pacifiers and teether), India (accessories) and Spain (bath toys).
All of our producers guarantee that their workers are well paid and that their rights are respected.
2. Child labour:
We at Hevea do not support child labour. The minimum age of workers should be 15 years, or the minimum age as set by the national laws of the country where they carry out their work, whichever is higher.
3. Wages and benefits:
Wages for standard hours must be at least the national legal minimum, or as agreed between us, whichever is higher.
Wages must be paid in full, promptly and at regular agreed intervals.
4. The Environment:
At Hevea, we are committed to making a positive contribution to support the environment, taking great care that this commitment is reflected in everything we do. Two examples of this are:
Hevea has neutralized the CO2 emissions from the use of our website. The result is green, climate-friendly surfing for our website visitors.
You can read more about this at: http://www.co2neutralwebsite.com.
In order to compensate for the CO2 we use when we transport our products, we buy European CO2 allowances.
You can read more at: http://www.co2neutraltransport.dk
5. Sustainability:
At Hevea we strive to operate sustainably and encourage sustainable development. We do our best to be a responsible company and always look for innovative ways to reduce, re-use and recycle. One example is:
Hevea pacifiers, teethers and bath toys are made of 100% natural rubber, which is biodegradable. Natural rubber can be broken down physically and/or chemically (natural oxidization) by microorganisms.
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment, so that these needs can also be met for future generations.
6. Cooperations:
In Denmark we have a great partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, WWF. We donate 10 DKK for each panda teether sold.
Excitingly, we are planning to extend this participation to other countries, where the same model is applied. The UK, US and Canada will be participating from January 2012
7. Safety standards:
Hevea pacifiers and teethers are of course tested to prove that they meet EU standard EN1400, US regulations CPSIA and AUS regulation AS 2432-1991.
Hevea bath toys meet the EN 71
Hevea pacifier holders complies with the EN 12586
8 . Products:
When buying a Hevea product, you are not only choosing what is best and safest for babies but also signalling your care for our planet.
That’s why, we believe that Hevea is not only a product it’s a statement.
INDIA & HONG KONG
Accessories – India & Hong Kong
Storage bags / pacifier holder
We are making our textile products in 100% organic cotton by the highest certifications, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). GOTS is recognised as the leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibres worldwide. It defines high level environmental criteria along the entire supply chain of organic textiles and requires compliance with social criteria as well, which matches the codes we apply for our production.
We managed to find both a manufacture in India and Hong Kong, which both are specialists in working with the GOTS standards and to deliver products in high quality.
The handmade storage bags and pacifier holders are made out off 6-8 frames of layers with our unique design, printed unto the white organic cotton printed and the afterwards the sewing begins!
MALAYSIA
Pacifier & teether - Malaysia
After some consumer research and product design development the search for a manufacture began. As the production should be sustainable, Malaysia were selected as country, as the Malaysian Rubber board controls and regulates the rubber industry.
The other big choice was the actually manufacturing process and which company to choose. After visiting a handful, we decided to work with a company who has more than 20 years experience within the infant and baby care category and offer very high level of quality.
Originally natural rubber (cautchouc), comes from latex a milky colloid produced by rubber trees, in our case the Hevea brasiliensis rubber tree, hence the name. It is tapped by an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milky looking sap is collected and refined into a usable rubber. It requires a highly skilled worker to make the cutting, in order to optimise the outcome. It is done before the sun rises in the morning, in order for the sap to be runny.
SPAIN
Bath toys - Spain
In early 2010 we decided to design and produce a range of bath toys in 100% natural rubber. It was important to get a supplier, which had high know how and experience working with natural rubber, imported from Malaysia. We work in close coporation with a Spainish family business, which has been in business since 1951, and are a leading worldwide manufacture. They have a great track record of producing safe and high quality bathing toys, which also now includes the Hevea Pond and Hevea Alfie.
The bath toys are made by hand, and there is more then 10 steps before the bath toys is finished, which includes pouring the rubber into moulds, moulding, drying, cleaning, packing etc.
It takes more than 1 week to finish a toy!