Koorong Help Centre

Koorong Books Pty Limited (Koorong) is committed to supplying safe and ethically manufactured Christian resources. Koorong reserves the right to decline trade with Suppliers that do not demonstrate this commitment.

This Fair Trade Policy defines our minimum standards that all Suppliers must adhere to in order to trade with Koorong.

This policy also applies to (not exclusively) sub-contractors, traders, retailers, distributors, wholesalers, designers, licensees, importers, manufacturers or organisers of production that in any way form part of the chain of supply to Koorong.

Suppliers are responsible for ensuring all their sub-contractors and suppliers (including labour, materials or goods and services) used in relation to products provided to Koorong comply with this Fair Trade Policy.

Methods of production used by Suppliers must not involve exploitation or endanger health and safety of any persons or the environment. Koorong regards exploitation of children as especially unacceptable and reserves the right not to trade with Suppliers who are at variance on this issue.

Koorong requires all Suppliers to fully obey the laws of the countries in which they function. This includes (but not exclusively) all employment, safety, the environment and business operations laws. All standards outlined in Koorong’s Fair Trade Policy are expected to be followed in addition to relevant local legislation.

Koorong will only do business with Suppliers who comply with the standards below:

Employment

Suppliers shall not use child labour. Due to their vulnerability, Koorong believes that children deserve extra protection from exploitation. Children should have the opportunity, where possible, to participate in an education up to the compulsory age limit deemed by local laws. Work should not interfere with a child’s education. Koorong supports participation in legitimate apprenticeship or trainee programs to educate and assist students under school-leaving age (e.g. 15-16-year-olds) and legitimate casual work where appropriate, providing the work is light, is performed in safe conditions and does not involve exploitation.

Forced/Compulsory Labour

All workers must freely choose the decision to work. Suppliers shall not use compulsory or involuntary labour, slavery or debt bondage. Workers must be genuinely free to terminate their employment at any stage with reasonable notice.

Appropriate Pay & Benefits

The Supplier must set out in writing for its workers clear terms of employment, including wages, benefits and conditions for a regular working week. Workers must be paid at or above the local legal minimum wage for the work performed. The Supplier must not use contracts, trial periods or other arrangements to avoid legal obligations for pay and conditions.

Hours Of Work

Ordinary hours of work shall be consistent with local legislation. All overtime must be voluntary and without coercion and should be duly paid per the agreed conditions of employment and local laws.

Discrimination & Harassment

Koorong believes that all people are created in the image of God and must be treated equally and with dignity and respect. Suppliers will not use (either actual or implied) any physical, sexual, emotional forms of harassment, abuse, discipline or intimidation with any of their workers.

Suppliers are to avoid using discriminatory words, actions or behaviour. A worker’s ability to do the job should determine their employment and all associated conditions rather than discrimination based on non-work-related factors, such as race, religion, gender, personal situations or beliefs.

Workers must not be disadvantaged or prevented from forming or joining communities that raise issues relating to mutual protection and dignity in wages and working conditions.

Environment, Health & Safety

Suppliers will provide a clean and safe workplace, including providing plant, equipment and work processes that do not pose a risk to the health and safety of their workers. Staff must also receive adequate training and supervision to ensure their safety.

Of specific concern concerning worker safety is the provision of adequate emergency facilities such as:

• Appropriate fire fighting equipment is maintained and available on-site.
• A sufficient quantity of operating, clearly marked emergency exits that are not locked or obstructed.

Other important safety standards include:

• Machinery must have appropriate guarding to ensure the safety of workers.
• Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be made available to workers at no personal cost.
• Suppliers shall provide clean toilets, clean drinking water and, if appropriate, hygienic kitchen facilities to its workers.
• Any worker accommodation provided by Suppliers should be adequate for the number of occupants and in a clean and safe condition.

Environmental standards:

• Koorong requires Suppliers to comply with all applicable local and national environmental laws and to endeavour to meet relevant international environmental standards

Importation of Regulated Timber Products

Koorong is aware of its legal responsibilities under the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 and the Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulation 2012 (the illegal logging laws). Our product buyers actively manage the risk of importing products containing illegally logged timber by undertaking ‘due diligence’ when sourcing products for sale in our stores. A declaration of compliance is sought when any regulated timber products are imported.

Koorong values and promotes a high standard of honesty, integrity, respect, fairness and professionalism in their business ethics. We also expect our Suppliers to follow equivalent standards in their operations. Bribes, favours, inappropriate gains or other illegal or improper payments, whether in cash or otherwise, are strictly forbidden, whether or not they are offered with the intention of securing trade with Koorong.

Koorong (and its representatives) reserve the right to visit Supplier factories or facilities with or without prior notice to ensure adherence to this Policy. Breaches of this policy will be registered with the Supplier’s management for investigation and action as appropriate.

If deemed appropriate, action taken by Koorong may include ceasing trade with the relevant Supplier.