burlington
Since 1895, the family-run FALKE company has been synonymous with modern clothing made from high-quality materials, manufactured with perfect workmanship and attention to detail. An in-depth understanding of yarns and manufacturing techniques, passed down from generation to generation and constantly being refined, is integral to all our product lines.

The family behind the company always sees it as a legacy that is passed on to the next generation, which is why long-term success and sustainability always take precedence over short-term profit. We also apply the same philosophy to our environment. FALKE firmly believes that the Earth is only borrowed from future generations and that we should leave behind a firm foundation for a happy life for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

This is why we have always prioritised socially and environmentally responsible behaviour. As a market-leading company in the premium legwear segment, we see this commitment as fundamental. We share this philosophy with our customers through our FALKE WE CARE initiative.

OUR COMMITMENT


As an international company, we believe that acting responsibly is key to an economy that optimises welfare and minimises negative impacts.
The FALKE Policy Statement on Responsible Business Practices is therefore aligned with international standards and frameworks for the protection of human rights, the environment and social standards:
  • the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
  • the ten principles of the UN Global Compact,
  • the conventions and recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on labour and social standards,
  • the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),
  • the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative.
At FALKE KGaA we understand that our role in society reaches well beyond simply making modern clothing for modern people. The importance of ethical behaviour, human rights and environmental protection is a core component of our business activities. We are completely committed to ensuring the highest standards not only in our own processes, but throughout the entire supply chain.
We take responsibility for making sure that all our business activities, from the procurement of raw materials through to retail, fulfil the principles of sustainability, fairness and respect for the environment and people. Our responsibility is not limited to the confines of our company. We are actively working to ensure that our business partners, suppliers and subcontractors also act in accordance with these principles.

SCOPE & RESPONSIBILITY


This policy statement applies to all employees of FALKE KGaA in all divisions and all locations. We expect our employees to comply with the standard, both with regard to external parties and colleagues within the company. This means that all employees are responsible for the ethical implementation of this guideline.

We also expect external partners (service providers, suppliers, subcontractors) to comply fully and ethically with our policy statement on responsible business practices.


SECTOR SPECIFIC AND COMPANY SPECIFIC RISK ANALYSIS


The textile and fashion industry is not only a major global economic force, it is also the focus of numerous human rights and environmental issues. With this in mind, we carry out a risk analysis of our suppliers and our own business activities both annually and on an ad hoc basis. As a part of this industry, our company is exposed to the associated risks1. Country risks and the probability of occurrence also are used as assessment criteria in the risk analysis. It's crucial to identify these risks and take proactive measures to safeguard human rights and environmental protection. Our assessment criteria require us to check all social and industry-related risks (minimum employee age, child labour, forced labour, slavery, health and safety in the workplace, freedom of association, equal treatment, fair wages) for our suppliers in each specific company. Environmental risks (harmful water contamination, raw materials derived from illegal forestry/land grabbing, chemical use, disposal of hazardous waste) are assessed for relevant product groups in line with industry initiatives. The same risks are assessed in our own business activities using the same system. The industry risks that we are particularly vigilant about as abstract (potential) risks in our supply chain are outlined below:

  1. Unfair wages and working conditions: Working conditions are often problematic in many production countries. Low wages, the lack of trade unions, poor workplace safety and excessive working hours jeopardise the health and well-being of workers.
  2. Child labour: Despite international agreements and regulations, child labour is still prevalent in textile production in some areas, raising serious ethical concerns.
  3. Discrimination based on age, gender, ethnicity, etc: Many workers, especially women, experience discrimination based on gender, ethnicity or religion, leading to unequal opportunities and unfair treatment.
  4. Health hazards for workers: Exposure to hazardous chemicals or unsafe working conditions can cause long-term health problems for workers.
  5. Environmental impact: The textile sector is responsible for significant water consumption, use of chemicals and waste generation. This all has a significant impact on the environment and ecosystems. Practices such as single-crop cotton farming or deforestation for viscose production destroy habitats and compromise biodiversity.
  6. Hazardous chemicals: The industry uses a wide range of chemicals, many of which are toxic or remain in the environment for a long time. If not handled and disposed of properly, they can harm both people and the environment.
  7. Land rights, e.g. land grabbing through illegal forestry: Conflicts over land rights can arise in areas where raw materials are mined or cultivated, often involving indigenous people and local communities.

 


OUR EXPECTATIONS


Drawing on our analyses of potential risks in the production and distribution of fashion, legwear and accessories, we focus on compliance with 7 principles in two key spheres of activity:

Social Responsibility:

  • Principle 1 - Zero tolerance of child and forced labour: We are committed to ensuring that there is no child or forced labour in our supply chain and that all workers are employed voluntarily and in compliance with international labour standards.
  • Principle 2 - Equitable wages and working conditions: We make sure that all the workers in our supply chain receive a fair wage and work in safe and healthy conditions.
  • Principle 3 - No discrimination: We are committed to equality and fairness in the workplace and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.
  • Principle 4 - Promotion of gender equality: We actively promote gender equality, both in management positions and throughout the workplace.
  • Principle 5 - Freedom of association: All employees are allowed to exercise their trade union participation rights in accordance with national laws. We expect our partners to do the same.

 

Environmental protection:

  • Principle 6 - Protection of water resources: We are committed to minimising water consumption and ensuring that no harmful wastewater is released into the environment.
  • Principle 7 - Reduction of waste: We are committed to sustainable production methods that avoid overproduction and optimise the use of resources.

 

As a fourth-generation family business and, above all, as a leading manufacturer of high-quality legwear, these principles are more than just a vision, they are part of our brand and product policy.

With over 90% of our items manufactured in-house for our FALKE and Burlington brands in Germany, Slovakia, Serbia and South Africa, we can always ensure that our employees are employed fairly and in line with our own self-imposed commitments.


DUE DILIGENCE AND INVOLVEMENT OF THIRD PARTIES


Extensive due diligence is carried out before we work with suppliers or commission them to start production. We endeavour to identify all subcontractors involved in order to achieve complete transparency in our supply chain. FALKE KGaA requires all suppliers to comply with our specified spheres of activity through the Code of Conduct and the Policy Statement. Suppliers must sign this FALKE Policy Statement in order to work together with FALKE KGaA. To reinforce this in the supply chain, we carry out regular supplier inspections/visits to our suppliers. This also includes access to production facilities on an ad hoc basis. To support this, we request certificates from our suppliers for recognised standards and industry initiatives in accordance with the FALKE Quality Guideline.
We also require all our suppliers to comply with the FALKE Policy Statement on Responsible Business Practices. We also encourage ongoing dialogue to discuss and further develop our regulations. Furthermore, our suppliers are encouraged to convey our values throughout the supply chain and to ensure compliance with the FALKE Policy Statement and the FALKE Code of Conduct.

 


INTERNAL STAFF TRAINING/ AWARENESS RAISING


We share both the FALKE Code of Conduct and the FALKE Policy Statement on Responsible Business Practices to educate and to raise awareness of human rights issues and the environmental responsibility our actions involve. Training for managers and employees is in the pipeline and will be added to the mandatory programme for staff in these groups.

 


REPORTING PROCEDURE


FALKE KGaA encourages everyone, from employees to customers, to report environmental and human rights risks and violations. In the event of any breaches of this Policy Statement, the Code of Conduct or applicable legislation, reports can be submitted anonymously or disclosing your identity at any time via the official complaints procedure system. The system and the respective procedure can be found here: https://falkegermanylksg.integrityline.com/frontpage. FALKE employees have the additional option of using an internal whistleblower system.

 


GOVERNANCE


Implementation of the FALKE Policy Statement on Responsible Business Practices is not the responsibility of a centralised body, but is instead the decentralised responsibility of all members of the Executive Board. We see compliance with the voluntary commitment as the collective responsibility of FALKE KGaA. We ensure that each department, from Finance to Supply Chain Management, takes responsibility for implementing our rules and control mechanisms.

 

CONSEQUENCES OF BREACHES


FALKE takes every complaint and every report from its employees and external whistleblowers seriously. We will not tolerate any violations of applicable legislation or the standards we have imposed. If we become aware of any violation of our own self-imposed principles, we will take appropriate steps and measures.

 

DOCUMENTATION


As part of our risk management, we document the risk classification of our suppliers and our own sites in relation to our spheres of activity, as well as the measures we have implemented to minimise risk. We also document any breaches of our Policy Statement. The report on the fulfilment of our due diligence obligations will be published on the FALKE website.

 

FINAL CLAUSE


The FALKE Policy Statement on Responsible Business Practices at FALKE KGaA was adopted by the Managing Partners and the Executive Board on 1 December 2023.


MORE INFORMATION

1 OECD Risks in the Textile Industry (cf. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264304536-de)