Code of Conduct

As an international company that operates in a resource-intensive industry which is repeatedly criticized for its impact on people and the environment, mey is aware of its corporate responsibility. In order to live up to this responsibility, mey is committed to the UN Convention on Human Rights and the conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) as well as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, in particular regarding to the topics of prevention, remedy and remediation.

This Code of Conduct expresses mey's commitment to proper business ethics, human rights,standards of labor and the preservation of the environment. mey's value creation takes place predominantly in Germany. State-of-the-art production methods, the efficient use of resources and short transport routes conserve the environment.

mey defines itself as part of the society in which it operates and contributes to their well-being, promotion and sustainable development throughout doing business. The mey Group considers the direct and indirect effects of business activities on society and the environment and strives to bring them into an appropriate balance of interests in economic, social and environmental terms. mey respects and accepts the diverse legal, cultural and social backgrounds of the countries into which our value chain extends and recognizes their structures, customs and traditions. If these conflict with the principles laid down here, mey will enter into dialog with its business partners and work towards understanding and acceptance.

Tolerance, respect and trust are among the basic principles in our daily interactions with each other. Problems need to be addressed openly and solutions are found together. Only in this way can we create a working atmosphere that is characterized by transparency and fairness. Integrity is a key success factor in each contact with our employees, business partners and the public. Furthermore, mey expects its business partners to protect all data and business secrets handed to them. The Code of Conduct must be accompanied and supported by role models. 

Executives, leading by example, must ensure that employees understand and live the Code of Conduct with the behavioral requirements described therein. Therefore, this Code of Conduct is an indispensable part of all business relationships and activities related to mey products. It applies to all companies of the mey Group as well as to all direct and indirect business partners. Our business partners are required to comply with the principles of this Code of Conduct. Given repeated noncompliance, mey reserves the right to terminate the business relationship.

The mey Group complies with the law and order of the respective countries in which it operates. In particular, in countries with weak state structures, mey ensures that the principles set out in the Code of Conduct are observed. Compliance with the Code of Conduct is mandatory for the mey Group and all business partners.

The respect for human rights is a top priority within our sphere of influence. Above all, this includes the  protection of the personal freedom, dignity and privacy of the individual. mey takes its responsibility to provide a fair and safe working environment very seriously and will not tolerate violations of local legislation and internationally recognized human rights.

Recruitment, wage policy, admittance to training programs, employee promotion policy, policies of employment termination, retirement and any other aspect of the employment relationship must be based on the principle of equal opportunities, regardless of race, colour, sex, age, religion, political affiliation, union membership, nationality, social origin, sexual orientation, deficiencies or handicaps. Particular attention is paid to the consideration of identified vulnerable groups. Physical abuse or disciplinary measures, threats of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment, as well as verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation are not permissible for mey (ILO Conventions 100, 111, 143, 158 and 159).

Workers must not be subjected to forced labor, including debt bondage or prison labor (ILO Conventions 29 and 105). Employees must be free to choose means of employment. Moreover, employees must be allowed to move freely. Obligations to employees under labor or social security laws and regulations arising from regular employment relationships shall not be avoided through the use of labor-only contracting arrangements or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment. 

mey condemns all forms of child labor. Therefore, mey and all its suppliers must adhere to strict standards regarding the employment of minors. The age for admission to employment shall not be less than 15 years or the age of completion of compulsory schooling (ILO Convention 138). “Children, in the age of 15-18 years old, shall not perform work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm their health, safety or morals and/or is performed during the night“ (ILO Convention 182).

The right of all workers to form and join trade unions and bargain collectively shall be recognized (ILO  Conventions 87 and 98). Where national laws and regulations restrict the right of association and the right to collective bargaining, employers must ensure that there is at least one free and independent association of employees as an alternative. Workers' representatives shall not be the subject of discrimination and shall have access to all workplaces necessary to carry out their representative functions (ILO Convention 135 and Recommendation 143).

Hours of work shall comply with applicable laws and industry standards. In any event, workers shall not be required to work more than 48 hours per week on a regular basis and shall be provided with at least one day off for every seven-day period. Employees must also be allowed to take breaks on every working day (ILO Convention 14). Overtime shall be voluntary, shall not exceed 12 hours per week, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and shall always be compensated at a premium rate. In the exceptional cases defined by the ILO, the limit of working hours prescribed above may be exceeded, in that case overtime is permitted (ILO Convention 1)

The wages and benefits paid for a standard working week shall be at least equivalent to the statutory or industry minimum standards and always be sufficient to meet the basic needs of workers and their families and to provide a freely discretionary income (ILO Conventions 26 and 131). Deductions from wages for disciplinary measures shall not be permitted, nor shall any deductions from wages that are not provided for by national legislation be permitted. Deductions shall never constitute an amount that will lead the employee to receive less than the minimum wage. Employees shall be adequately and clearly informed about the specifications of their  wages including wage rates and pay period. Wages are to be paid in a timely manner, regularly and fully in a legal currency.

A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, and best occupational health and safety practices shall be promoted, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Appropriate attention shall be paid to occupational hazards specific to this branch of the industry and assure that a safe and hygienic working environment is provided. Effective regulations shall be implemented to prevent accidents and minimize health risks as far as possible (in accordance with ILO Convention 155).

Corruption and violations of antitrust law are not tolerated. Our partners are prohibited from offering, making, demanding or accepting bribes, including kickbacks.

All information is subject to the criterion of truthfulness and transparency. In particular, records and reports must be complete, on an accrual basis, accurate and understandable. All employees are called upon to ensure a smooth and rapid exchange of information within the company. Knowledge required for the work to be performed must not be distorted, selectively passed on or withheld from other areas, as long as this does not conflict with priority interests (e.g. secrecy and secrecy obligations or data protection provisions). Business partners shall not pass on confidential information such as inventions, new products or planned collections, as well as current sales figures without authorization. In return, the trade secrets of our competitors, business partners and consumers shall be treated with respect. The secure storage of company information must be ensured at all times, including through technical aids. Any violation must be reported immediately to the responsible supervisor. The duty of confidentiality also applies after termination of the employment relationship or the business relationship.

Nature conservation and environmental protection are a fundamental part of the company's business activities. The value creation takes place mainly in Germany, where state-of-the-art production methods ensure the efficient use of resources and short transport routes help to protect the environment. The mey Group and all its business partners must comply with the applicable environmental standards. They are also required to work continuously to prevent and reduce environmental pollution. Applicable procedures and standards for waste management, handling and disposal of chemical substances and other hazardous substances, as well as emissions and wastewater treatment shall be complied with. Special attention shall be paid to the protection and preservation of the natural foundations of life. At mey, environmentally friendly and socially responsible production are core values and must be supported. In this context, mey also acknowledges the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Basel Convention on the Export of Hazardous Waste. In addition, mey considers the preservation of the five freedoms of animal welfare within the supply chain.

Subcontractors hired by our business partners for the provision of services must be approved in advance by mey and comply with standards corresponding to this Code of Conduct. Subcontractors are subject to the same qualification procedures as the direct suppliers. Our partners are obliged to inform all indirect suppliers about the content of the Code of Conduct and to demand the requirements and standards listed here, as well as to continuously monitor the compliance with these standards. In this context, the so-called pass-on clause is considered as supplementary document. Subcontractors or indirect suppliers are all partners within the supply chain who contribute to the end product, but with whom mey as a company has not entered into a direct contractual agreement. 

Complaints, indications, misuse or violations of this Code of Conduct may be reported to the mey Group at csr@mey.com at any time. The message can also be written anonymously. The complainant is requested to report only such complaints and information about which they are in good faith about the accuracy of the corresponding message. All business partners must guarantee to refrain from any disadvantage or disciplinary measures against the reporting person. 

Establishment of a grievance mechanism:
It is our aspiration to be vigilant about any form of human rights violation, in this way we can take appropriate countermeasures. Therefor we have established various grievance procedures for employees and external parties to inform us about possible or actual violations of human rights. This allows us to reduce potential negative impacts of our business activities at an early stage. If there is a complaint that could not be resolved via our internal grievance mechanism, it can be addressed to OEKO-TEX®'s independent complaints mechanism at the following link: Complaint form

Florian Mey
mey GmbH & Co. KG
Auf Steingen 6
72459 Albstadt
Deutschland
Tel.: +49 (0)7431/706-0
Mail: csr@mey.de