April 28, 2004

Policy Statement

It is the policy of the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario that the purchasing function be performed with the objectives of maintaining a fair and competitive atmosphere for our suppliers, while providing efficient and cost effective services to our schools.

At the same time:

In keeping with its commitment to reflect Christ’s values and abide by the Social Teaching of the Church and its own Mission and Vision Statement, the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario is committed to promote, advance and protect the just cause of the poor and the marginalized.

Therefore, the Board Administration will:

1. seek assurances from suppliers who provide school apparel (school uniforms, physical education uniforms) that these garments are manufactured in an environment that is safe, just and healthy for their employees, for the duration of any agreements to purchase or license.

2. set up a process to review and correct any non-compliance of the Board’s Fair Labour Practices Policy, and if necessary will discontinue using that supplier.

3. ensure that the Board and schools within its jurisdiction shall only purchase or grant licences to apparel suppliers that agree to:

   1. a. Disclose to Board Administration, prior to any contract/licence agreement being signed, the sites/factories where the apparel is produced.

   2. b. Have the apparel manufactured under safe, just and healthy conditions and as a minimum, in accordance with the local labour laws and/or international standards, whichever is higher.

   3. c. Refer, if necessary, the independent monitoring of the site where the apparel is produced, to a third party designate.

4. review the Administrative Procedure on an annual basis

Fair Labour Practices - Uniforms

1. Purpose:

   To ensure that any agreement to purchase from, or to issue an exclusive licence agreement with, a supplier of school apparel (school and physical education uniforms), includes assurances, prior to any contract signing, that the apparel was, and will continue for the life of the contract, to be produced in keeping with the provisions and procurement requirements of the Board’s Fair Labour Practices Policy.

2. Procedure:

   a) Supplier Pre-qualification

   Any purchase/exclusive licence agreement for school apparel with the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario or any of its schools must include prior agreement by the supplier/licencee to the ‘Supplier Fair Labour Practices Agreement’ (attached appendix ‘A’).

   A supplier’s agreement to Appendix A will place this supplier on an ‘Approved Supplier’s List’ as meeting the Board’s Fair Labour Practices Policy for school apparel.

   All licences/agreements signed by the Board Administration or individual schools will only be with suppliers on this ‘Approved Suppliers List’.

   b) If a Non-Compliance occurs

   If a non-compliance is reported to Board Administration, the supplier will be contacted by Board administration. The supplier will review and report back to Board administration within 30 days.

   If a satisfactory response is not received within 30 days, the Board Administration may terminate the contract with the supplier. If the Board Administration requires an additional review of a reported non-compliance, Board Administration may identify a designate as a third party recognized and approved by the School Board.

   The Board’s designate (third party) shall send written responses to Board Administration regarding the supplier’s compliance status with the agreement to purchase, within 60 days.

Appendix A – Suppliers Fair Labour Practices Agreement

For any agreement or licence to be valid between the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario or its schools and a supplier/licencee for the supply of school apparel (school and physical education uniforms), the supplier/licencee must agree by proper company signing authorization to the following terms and conditions:

The supplier/licencee:

Agrees to disclose to the Board Administration, prior to any contract/licence agreement being signed, the sites/factories where the apparel is produced.

Agress that, any changes to the list of manufacturing locations during the life of the agreements are to be reported immediately by the supplier to the Board Administration.

Agrees to ensure that the apparel is manufactured under safe, just and healthy conditions and, at a minimum, in accordance with the local labour laws and standards of the ‘International Labour Organization’ (ILO), whichever is higher.

Agrees to refer, if necessary, the independent monitoring of the site where the apparel is produced, to a third party designate.

Hereby warrants, represents and agrees, that it, and any of its subcontractors, servants, agents or suppliers will, at all times during the term of this agreement and any extended term, comply and adhere to all of the stated provisions of this Appendix A.

Agrees that a breach of any provision, or failure to reasonably satisfy the Board that the supplier continually adhere to these provisions during the term of this agreement (or any extended term) will entitle the Board Administration, in its sole and absolute discretion to provide written notice of termination of this agreement effective immediately. Notwithstanding said written notice of termination, the supplier shall complete all existing orders with parents of the school but shall not accept or solicit any further orders from parents of the school after receipt of the written notice.