SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES

Responsible Sourcing Policy

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE POLICY

Missoma’s Responsible Sourcing Policy (‘the Policy’) sets out our requirements and some of the practical steps required to comply with Missoma’s Ethical Code of Conduct (‘Missoma’s Code’) and the Responsible Jewellery Council Code of Practice (‘RJC CoP’) link (together to be known as ‘the Codes’).

The Policy is applicable to all stages of the supply chain. It sets out further standards and requirements that all of Missoma’s Suppliers must uphold, highlighting Missoma’s way of working, bringing focus to crucial industry specific requirements. In this Policy the term ‘Suppliers’ refers to all factories, suppliers, subcontractors, partners and agents.

The Supplier is responsible to ensure the Policy is fully implemented and adhered to. By supplying Missoma you are agreeing to uphold the Codes and adhere to the Policy. Failure to do so could result in all work with you being immediately suspended or completely banned.

2. SOURCES OF THE POLICY

· OECD (2016) OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas: Third Edition - link

· Responsible Jewellery Council Code of Practice 2019 - link

· The Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code - link

· The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights - link

· The European Convention of Human Rights - link

· The Fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (‘ILO’) - link

· Modern Slavery Act 2015 (UK legislation) - link

3. ON-BOARDING AND WORKING TOGETHER

ON-BOARDING NEW SUPPLIERS AND FACTORIES

During the process of on-boarding new factories, we need to ensure the factory’s ethical standards align with Missoma’s expectations. We require full visibility of all new Suppliers intended to be used for production and have a strict approval process in place which must be followed for all new factories.

Every prospective Supplier must submit a New Supplier Profile Form. In addition, the Supplier needs to provide a valid third-party audit to the Design Team.

· For jewellery factories we insist upon RJC CoP certification as a minimum.

· For non-jewellery factories we accept SMETA, BSCI, Better Work, Fair Labor Association and SA8000 audits and certifications if they are less than one year old.

Missoma will only approve a factory when satisfied with the audit and/or progress made on the Corrective Action Plan (‘CAP’).

Neither sampling nor bulk production can occur without written approval from Missoma’s Design Team.

Once Suppliers have been officially approved through the onboarding procedure, bulk orders can be made.

ON-BOARDING SUBCONTRACTORS

For both current and new Suppliers, any component or process subcontracted must be pre-agreed with Missoma in writing. Every subcontractor unit must be added to the factory profile. The Supplier is responsible for ensuring the subcontractor details are correct and that they understand and comply with the Codes.

For further information on the factory approval process, audits or subcontracting, please contact the Design Team at Missoma.

SUPPLIER VISITS Missoma’s Design Team visit Suppliers as regularly as possible and visits are logged here; this is to build and maintain important relationships and to check the standards of the factories where Missoma’s products are made. These visits will consist of:

· Factory tour to understand production processes and to assess factory conditions.

· Meeting with management or persons responsible for ethical standards to follow up on points raised in previous audits and points raised during the factory tour. A CAP will be agreed.

· CAD and sample development and sign-off

· Production process review

· Sub-contractor visits (e.g. stone cutting, plating or other component sourcing)

· Quality training

All assessments and CAP reports (if needed) will be based on this Policy and the relevant Code, so it is important you familiarise yourself with these documents to ensure you are adhering to Missoma’s standards.

TRANSPARENCY & TRACEABILITY

It is essential that we know where our products are made, not just the final product, but all components including chains, gemstones and findings for jewellery and non-jewellery. We are beginning to map Missoma’s supply chain and will be doing this initially through the New Factory Profile Form.

It is the responsibility of the Supplier to keep this information up to date.

4. WORKING PRACTICES

HOMEWORKERS

Missoma supports the empowerment of women through the provision of ‘Homeworking’ as part of the manufacturing process. Written permission from Missoma must be received before the Supplier can use Homeworkers to produce Missoma’s product. If permission is granted, it is the Supplier’s responsibility to ensure all Homeworking adheres to the Codes.

The Supplier must be fully transparent and maintain records of all homeworking practices used for Missoma production and must facilitate visits and reviews when required by Missoma’s Team or appointed 3rd party.

TEMPORARY WORKERS, CASUAL WORKERS, AGENCY & SHORT-TERM CONTRACTS

Missoma stipulates that employment should be regular and performed through a recognised working relationship established by national law and practise. The use of temporary, short term, agency, or casual working on a regular basis for the long-term or multiple short-terms to benefit the employer shall be avoided. Missoma understands there may be instances where use of non-standard employment is essential; in these instances, obligations to temporary employees shall not be avoided. All temporary, casual, agency and short-term workers must have clear contracts which must contain terms that entitle the employee to all advantages afforded to permanent employees.

MIGRANT WORKERS

Many factors can influence or force workers to migrate in search of security, opportunity, and employment. These factors can mean that ‘Migrant Workers’ are vulnerable to exploitation. Suppliers are responsible for ensuring that all Migrant Workers are employed responsibly, this means that Migrant Workers are employed legally, not indebted to agencies and that their rights and welfare are safeguarded.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND MODERN SLAVERY

Missoma recognises our responsibility to promote responsible and fair employment practices throughout our supply chain. We work closely with our Suppliers to continuously improve conditions of all factories used to produce Missoma product. In addition to requiring compliance with the Codes, Missoma’s Suppliers must also ensure that they take all reasonable steps necessary to eliminate the risk of Modern Slavery.

Modern Slavery

Missoma is committed to avoiding any form of Modern Slavery in our supply chain, please refer to our Modern Slavery Policy here.

Child Labour

Due their age, children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and Modern Slavery. Missoma is committed to eradicating any form of child labour and child slavery. Accordingly, child labour is not to be used under any circumstances and Suppliers must ensure that all employees meet the minimum age requirement set by local laws.

Remember: Missoma will work with Suppliers who bring to our attention issues in their factories or within their supply chains. Where possible, we want to help mitigate these issues and find resolutions. We cannot do this unless Suppliers raise these issues at an early stage. Potential risks or concerns relating to Modern Slavery or other human rights abuse within Missoma’s supply chain must be communicated as soon as possible. Report any issues relating to this to your Missoma contact.

5. MATERIAL SOURCING

As part of our commitment to making quality products for our customers we also aim to reduce their ethical and environmental impact. Material selection is an important part of improving the sustainability of our collections by minimising our reliance on freshly mined minerals or virgin raw materials we can reduce our carbon, water, and waste footprint.

As a business Missoma has committed to strict targets for specific materials, these include, but are not limited to:

· 50% of the silver in our products to be recycled silver by end 2021. Update - January 2023: we can confirm all silver lines are ordered in recycled silver.

· 100% of the gold used in 14ct solid gold products must come from recycled sources.

· 50% of the gold used in plating (Gold Potassium Cyanide or ‘GPC’ to come from recycled sources by end 2021. Update – January 2023: We can confirm that all plating is recycled.

· 100% of diamonds to come from Kimberley Process Certified sources.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS PRIORITY LIST

To help reduce the environmental impact of our products, Missoma wants to increase the percentage of sustainable materials we use. Suppliers can influence the use of more sustainable materials by helping Missoma choose these when deciding which materials to source.

Examples of sustainable materials are:

Recycled Silver

Recycled Solid Gold and Recycled Gold Plating (GPC)

Recycled Brass

Brass is an alloy made predominantly with copper and zinc. The percentage mix can vary, but copper tends to make up between 80-90%. We are working towards sourcing a certified recycled brass.

Traceable Coloured Gemstones

Coloured gemstones are known to have complex supply chains with very little transparency. It is important to Missoma that we source coloured gemstones from transparent and traceable sources. Our aim is to eventually be able to trace all coloured gemstones back to the mine.

Traceable Fresh Water Pearls

The farming of Fresh Water Pearls can cause harm to the surrounding environment, it is therefore important that we know the source of the Fresh Water Pearls used in our products.

Our Suppliers are industry experts so, please help to keep us informed on any developments within sustainability and show us examples of lower impact and innovative materials.

6. BANNED & RESTRICTED MATERIALS

Missoma’s Banned and Restricted Materials list encompasses all materials which will not be sourced or used under any circumstance in any of Missoma’s products. All Suppliers must comply with this list.

CONFLICT MINERALS

Companies involved in mining and trade in minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (‘CAHRAs’) are at risk of contributing to human rights abuses and violations of national or international law. Missoma is fully committed to the responsible sourcing of raw materials and strive towards a supply chain free from conflict minerals. To ensure this, we adhere to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas and expect our factories and raw material suppliers to do so as well.

Diamonds

We only accept diamonds sourced by Suppliers who are members of the RJC and who comply with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and World Diamond Council System of Warranties.

Gold

We only accept conflict-free gold sourced from refiners that are either RJC Chain of Custody certified or have been accredited the Good Gold Delivery List of the London Bullion Market Association.

Endangered Species (non-jewellery only)

In accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (‘CITIES’) and International Union for the Conservation of Nature (‘IUCN’) list, Missoma prohibits the use of materials from endangered species in our products.

Leather (non-jewellery only)

No animal will be slaughtered solely for use within a Missoma product. All skins utilised in Missoma’s products must be by-products of the meat industry. We will not use any skins from animals that have been boiled or skinned alive. We will not use Karakul, Slink or other leathers that are from unborn animals.

Uzbek, Turkmen, and Xinjiang Cotton (non-jewellery only)

Missoma prohibits the use of cotton sourced from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Xinjiang in all products. This is due to documented reports of industry-wide and systematic human rights violations, including the occurrence of child labour and forced labour in the harvesting of cotton. Missoma does not tolerate these practices and therefore prohibits the use of Uzbek, Turkmen & Xinjiang cotton in our products.

7. REPORTING AND CERTIFICATION OF SUSTAINABLE & RESTRICTED MATERIALS

To help meet Missoma’s sustainability commitments and ensure accurate reporting on sustainable and restricted materials, it is important that we verify the authenticity of the material’s source. To do this we require specific documentation and certification.

Requirements for Recycled Metal (adaptable for other certified recycled or organic materials):

Missoma's Responsibility

· All POs to be issued stating requirements for sustainable and/or restricted materials. For example, recycled silver and recycled gold.

Supplier Responsibility

· All Supplier invoices to state that the silver and gold was sourced as recycled from their metal supplier and that their metal supplier is RJC certified, preferably RJC Chain of Custody (‘CoC’) certified.

· Quarterly copies of invoices between factory and factory sources of recycled silver and gold/gold plating, stating the metal is recycled and that they are RJC certified.

and either:

· Quarterly copies certificates from factory metal sources that confirm the metal sources are recycled

Or

· Quarterly copies of CoC transfer document. This specifies:

o the certification numbers of the refinery/metal supplier and the jewellery factory

o the type of CoC material being transferred e.g. recycled, Fairtrade or Fair mined

o the weight of CoC materials transferred from the refinery to the jewellery factory.

o Specifies the invoice number and company details including address etc.

Requirements for Diamonds:

Missoma's Responsibility

· To ensure that Missoma only purchases conflict-free diamonds we adhere to the Kimberley Process and the World Diamond Council (‘WDC’) System of Warranties (‘SoW’).

o When purchase orders are placed with Suppliers for diamond product, we must state that diamonds are to originate from legitimate sources not involved in the funding of conflict, in compliance with UN resolutions and corresponding national laws.

· To ensure that Missoma does not purchase lab-grown or treated diamonds without our knowledge we must adhere to the WDC SoW.

Supplier Responsibility

· To ensure the diamonds we purchase are conflict-free we require the factory to adhere to the Kimberley Process and the WDC SoW. We require the factory to provide:

o Invoice between jewellery factory and Missoma including the diamond warranty statement:

“The diamonds herein invoiced have been (sourced) purchased from legitimate sources not involved in the funding of conflict, in compliance with UN resolutions and corresponding national laws (where the invoice is generated). The Seller hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free and confirms adherence to the WCD SoW Guidelines”.

o Invoice between diamond supplier and jewellery factory which also includes the diamond warranty statement.

· To ensure Missoma does not purchase lab-grown or treated diamonds without our knowledge we require the factory provide:

o Invoice between jewellery factory and Missoma including the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (‘WFDB’) statement:

“The diamonds herein invoiced are exclusively of natural origin and untreated based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.”

8. INBOUNG PACKAGING

· As part of our commitment to reduce environmental impact across our business, we request that all jewellery suppliers deliver in-bound product in bio-degradable/recyclable poly bags. All suppliers work with a supplier, who offer a certification that the poly bag is bio-degradable.

RESPONSIBLE SOURCED MATERIALS

All of our pieces are handmade in India and Thailand, with each Responsible Jewellery Council certified factory carefully handpicked for their highly-skilled artisanship by our founder and creative director, Marisa Hordern.

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS POLICY

Missoma Ltd is a Designer Jewellery Brand.

 

We have a Head Office, Warehouse and 2 retail sites located in the UK and employ 9 personnel.

 

Missoma is proud to be a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC). The RJC is a standards-setting organisation established to advance responsible ethical, human rights, social and environmental practices throughout the gold, silver, platinum group metals, diamond and coloured gemstone jewellery supply chain.

 

The RJC has developed a benchmark standard for the jewellery supply chain and credible mechanisms for verifying responsible business practices through third-party auditing.

 

As an RJC member, we are committed to operating our business in accordance with the RJC Code of Practices. We commit to integrating ethical, human rights, social and environmental considerations into our day-to-day operations, business planning activities and decision-making processes.

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT

Objectives of Missoma’s Code

Missoma’s Ethical Code of Conduct (‘Missoma’s Code’) is the minimum standard that all factories, suppliers, agents, subcontractors, and homeworkers (defined in Missoma’s Code as ‘Suppliers’) engaged in the manufacture of Missoma product must meet. Missoma expects Suppliers to ensure these standards are implemented and adhered to within their own operations and throughout their supply chain.


Where the Supplier is engaged in the jewellery supply chain, they should also adhere to the Responsible Jewellery Council (‘RJC’) Code of Practice 2019 (‘CoP’) and where the standards differ, the standard which affords the stricter protection for the worker, or the environment will be followed. The RJC CoP and Missoma’s Code (known collectively as ‘the Codes’) are based on the same principles but the RJC CoP is specific to jewellery manufacture.


Missoma’s Commitment to the Codes

As an RJC member, we commit to operating our business in accordance with the Codes. We commit to integrating ethical, human rights, social and environmental considerations into our day-to-day operations, business planning activities and decision-making processes.

Sources of Missoma’s Code

Missoma’s Code is based on the Ethical Trade Initiative (‘ETI’) Base Code which is founded on the conventions of the International Labour Organisation (‘ILO’). The ETI has excellent resources, including the Base Code translated into multiple languages, we ask that you display a code in the languages of your workers.

Missoma’s Code

1: Employment is freely chosen

1.1 There is no forced, bonded, or involuntary prison labour.

1.2 Workers are not required to lodge "deposits" or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.

2: Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected

2.1 Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.

2.2 The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities.

2.3 Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.

2.4 Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.


Missoma Ethical Code of Conduct - September 2021 2

3: Working conditions are safe and hygienic

3.1 A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.

3.2 Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.

3.3 Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.

3.4 Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.

3.5 The company observing the Code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.

4: Child labour shall not be used

4.1 There shall be no new recruitment of child labour.

4.2 Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child; "child" and "child labour" being defined in the appendices.

4.3 Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.

4.4 These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards.

5: Living wages are paid

5.1 Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards, or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.

5.2 All workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid.

5.3 Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not
provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary
measures should be recorded.

6: Working hours are not excessive

6.1 Working hours must comply with national laws, collective agreements, and the provisions of 6.2 to 6.6 below, whichever affords the greater protection for workers. 6.2 to 6.6 are based on international labour standards.

6.2 Working hours, excluding overtime, shall be defined by contract, and shall not exceed 48 hours per week*

Missoma Ethical Code of Conduct - September 2021 3
6.3 All overtime shall be voluntary. Overtime shall be used responsibly, taking into account all the following: the extent, frequency and hours worked by individual workers and the workforce as a whole. It shall not be used to replace regular employment. Overtime shall always be compensated at a premium rate, which is recommended to be not less than 125% of the regular rate of pay.

6.4 The total hours worked in any 7-day period shall not exceed 60 hours, except where covered by clause 6.5 below.

6.5 Working hours may exceed 60 hours in any 7-day period only in exceptional circumstances where all of the following are met:
• this is allowed by national law;
• this is allowed by a collective agreement freely negotiated with a workers’ organisation representing a significant portion of the workforce;
• appropriate safeguards are taken to protect the workers’ health and safety; and
• the employer can demonstrate that exceptional circumstances apply such as unexpected production peaks, accidents, or emergencies.

6.6 Workers shall be provided with at least one day off in every 7-day period or, where allowed by national law, 2 days off in every 14-day period. *
*International standards recommend the progressive reduction of normal hours of work, when appropriate, to 4 hours per week, without any reduction in workers’ wages as hours are reduced

7: No discrimination is practiced

7.1 There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination, or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

8: Regular employment is provided

8.1 To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.

8.2 Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of labour-only contracting, sub- contracting, or homeworking arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

9: No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed

9.1 Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.

MODERN SLAVERY POLICY

Who we are 

As one of the first ever demi-fine jewellery brands, we have been going since 2008. Designing all our unique and iconic pieces in-house at our London based Notting Hill HQ. We now ship to over 200 countries worldwide and partner with some of the world’s top retailers. We believe in quality craftsmanship and fashion-forward design that can be worn every day. 


Our commitment to our workforce
 

Our approach means we hold ourselves accountable for the people who work for us and alongside us. We see it as our duty, both as a business and a community that cares, to play our part in the chain. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery.  


Our employees
 

We have a small workforce of less than 100 people who are employed directly by us. We have an internal Human Resources and Legal team which works together to manage entirely the recruitment and employment of our workforce. The vast majority of our team (all but 1) are employed in the UK and work in our Head Office, warehouse or retail spaces. Our systems ensure that each employee is properly checked to ensure their ability and willingness to work for Missoma. We then employ individuals on a legally compliant basis, subject to the policies and procedures set out in our Handbook and other relevant company policies. These policies guarantee, amongst other benefits, proper pay and safe working conditions.  


Our supply chain 
 

We use numerous suppliers from various regions around the world. However, our product manufacture is fulfilled by six trusted factories in Thailand and India, all of whom are RCJ accredited. We request that all product suppliers act in accordance with our Ethical Code of Conduct, which is based on the Ethical Trade Initiative Base Code. We also ensure that we are in constant communication with our suppliers and undertake periodic site visits.  

All of our product factories are audited every one to three years. The audits are conducted by independent auditing bodies to standards such as the RJC code of practice and the Ethical Trade Initiative base code. We have also rolled out an employee grievance procedure for those employed by our suppliers. 


For non-product suppliers, we entrust our in-house Legal and Finance teams to ensure that all appropriate checks are carried out in relation to the good-standing and good-practice of these partners.  

Read more about our commitment to our workforce and ethical trading here