CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES

MISSION STATEMENTS

Our mission is to manufacture and distribute the most highly engineered bean bag game and accessories in the world. In doing so, Baggo will maintain the highest standards of quality, consistency, affordability, and portability with a goal of 100% on time delivery with performance guarantee.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Due to operating and competing in a global economy, we recognize and strive to meet the ongoing changes in corporate, social and environmental responsibility. Our goal is to present corporate standards to our employees and vendors which are necessary for our companies to provide a quality and ethical product to the consumer.

We are committed to conducting our business in an ethical and socially responsible manner consistent with its mission statement. As a condition of being permitted to produce or sell licensed products bearing the name, trademarks or images of colleges and universities, we must comply with the Fair Labor Association Workplace Code of Conduct and ensure that our employees and vendors comply with this Code and/or any modification thereof which may reflect changes in manufacturing conditions or developments related to monitoring.

Our standards are as follows:

  1. Legal Compliance. We will comply with all applicable legal requirements in conducting business related to the production or sale of products bearing the name, trademarks or images of colleges and universities. If this Code conflicts with the applicable laws of the country of manufacture, we will meet the higher standard.
  2. Ethical Principles. We agree to adopt ethical standards to guide the operation of our business practices. These standards must include honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and respect for the unique intrinsic value of each human being.
  3. Environmental Responsibility. We agree to make environmentally responsible business decisions. Such decisions reflect a commitment to protect and preserve the global environment and the world’s finite resources. We will ensure “do no harm” manufacture of all products bearing colleges and universities indicia. Our company, employees and vendors will not pose risks to human health through increasing exposure to negative environmental factors; not increase human vulnerability to environmental risks and natural disasters; and not damage the livelihood of the poor who depend on natural resources. We encourage ecological soundness and sustainability policies that mitigate potential adverse effects to the environment and vulnerable populations.
  4. Employment Standards. We will conduct business only with vendors whose workers are present at work voluntarily, compensated fairly, not at undue risk of physical harm, and not exploited. In addition, we will require the following employment standards to be met.

              

1.  Forced Labor.    Shall not use or purchase materials that are produced for use any form of forced labor, whether in the form of prison labor, indentured labor, bonded labor, or otherwise.     

2.  Child Labor.  Shall not employ any person at an age younger than 15.  Where the age for completing compulsory education is higher than the standard for the minimum age of employment stated above, the higher age for completing compulsory education shall apply to this section.  Employers agree to consult with governmental, human rights, and non-governmental organizations, and to take reasonable steps to minimize the negative impact on children released from employment as a result of implantation or enforcement of the Code.

3.  Harassment or Abuse. Every employee shall be treated with dignity and respect. No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse. Employers will not use or tolerate any form of corporal punishment.

4. Nondiscrimination. No person shall be subject to any discrimination in employment, including hiring, salary, benefits, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of gender, race, marital status, reproductive or familiar situation, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, political opinion, social group or ethnic origin.

5. Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining. Employers must recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining.  No employee shall be subject to harassment, intimidation or retaliation for her/his efforts to freely associate or bargain collectively.  Employees shall have access to union organizations and the employee’s choice of union to be recognized.

6. Health and Safety.  Employees shall be provided a safe and healthy working environment to prevent accidents and injury to health, including reproductive health, arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of the facilities.

7.  Women’s Rights.  Female workers shall have the same work opportunities as men, without arbitrary restriction on the types of jobs or special limits on hours of work. Criteria shall not be used related to marital or reproductive status (for example, pregnancy tests, the use of contraception, fertility status) as conditions of employment. New mothers shall be entitled to leaves of absence (with the right to return to work) for childbirth and recovery from childbirth. Workers who take maternity leave will not face dismissal, threat of dismissal, loss of seniority or deduction of wages.

8.  Employment Relationship.  Employers shall adopt and adhere to rules and conditions of employment that respect workers and, at a minimum, safeguard their rights under national and international labor and social security laws and regulations.

9. Compensation. Employers recognize that wages are the principal means of meeting the basic needs of employees and their families, therefore, every worker has a right to compensation for a regular work week that is sufficient to meet the workers’ basic needs and provide legally mandated benefits.  Employers shall pay at least the minimum wage or the appropriate prevailing wage, whichever is higher, comply with all legal requirements on wages, and provide any fringe benefits required by law or contract. Compensation standards will be adjusted periodically based on experience and increased knowledge concerning local labor markets and living conditions.  Where compensation does not meet workers’ basic needs and provide some discretionary income, each employer shall work with the FLA to take appropriate actions that seek to progressively realize a level of compensation that does.

10. Hours of Work.   Employers shall comply with applicable laws and industry standards on working hours.  In any event, personnel shall not, on a regular basis, require employees to work more than the regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country where the workers are employed. The regular work week shall not exceed 48 hours. Employers shall allow workers at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every seven-day period. All overtime work shall be consensual. Other than in exceptional circumstances, the sum of regular and overtime hours in a week shall not exceed 60 hours.  Employers shall not request overtime on a regular basis and shall compensate all overtime work at a premium rate required by law.

11.  Remediation.  When a violation of the Code of Conduct occurs, remediation of the violation by an Employer is expected.  If an Employer has failed to self-correct a violation of the Code, the parties involved will consult to determine appropriate corrective action.  The remedy will, at a minimum, include requiring the violating entity to take all steps necessary to correct such violations to monitoring party satisfaction (University, Licensee).  If agreement on corrective action is not reached and/or the action does not result in correction of the violation within a specified reasonable time period, the University reserves the right to terminate or not renew its relationship with any Licensee, as provided in the Licensee’s agreement with the University.

In addition to the Labor Code of Conduct adopted above, our companies have adopted a second set of standards as defined by the Fair Labor Association and CLC Special Agreement Regarding Labor Codes of Conduct along with additional codes/addendums for the purpose of embracing and incorporating the multiple variables which can impact our Corporate and Social Responsibility.

Campus protests regarding the labor and workplace practices of collegiate licensees have affected virtually everyone associated with collegiate licensing during the last ten years.  To respond to this issue, CLC's license agreement includes a set of requirements that many CLC Institutions require for licensees to implement within their operations and those of their supply chain partners. Following is a summary of these requirements, which accompany CLC's License Agreement as the "Special Agreement Regarding Labor Codes of Conduct" ("Labor Code").

Labor Code Provision

Public Disclosure of Suppliers

Each Licensee shall disclose to the Collegiate Institution or its designee the location (including factory name, contact name, address, phone number, e-mail address, products produced, and nature of business association) of each factory used in the production of all items which bear Licensed Indicia. Such information shall be updated upon change of any factory site location. The Collegiate Institution reserves the right to disclose this information to third parties, without restriction as to its further distribution.

Wages and Benefits

Licensees recognize that wages are essential to meeting employees' basic needs. Licensees shall pay employees, as a floor, at least the minimum wage required by local law or the local prevailing industry wage, whichever is higher, and shall provide legally mandated benefits.

Working Hours

Working Hours:  Except in extraordinary business circumstances, hourly and/or quota-based wage employees shall (i) not be required to work more than the lesser of (a) 48 hours per week and 12 hours overtime or (b) the limits on regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country of manufacture or, where the laws of such country do. not limit the hours of work, the regular work week in such country plus 12 hours overtime; and (ii) be entitled to at least one day off in every seven day period.

Overtime Compensation

Overtime Compensation: In addition to their compensation for regular hours of work, hourly and/or quota-based wage employees shall be compensated for overtime hours at such a premium rate as is legally required in the country of manufacture or, in those countries where such laws do not exist, at a rate at least equal to their regular

hourly compensation rate.

Child Labor

Child Labor: Licensees shall not employ any person at an age younger than 15 (or 14, where, consistent with International Labor Organization practices for developing countries, the law of the country of manufacture allows such exception). Where the age for completing compulsory education is higher than the standard for the minimum age of employment stated above, the higher age for completing compulsory education shall apply to this section. Licensees agree to consult with governmental, human rights and nongovernmental organizations, and to take reasonable steps as evaluated by CLC, the applicable Collegiate Institution(s) or their designee, and the applicable Licensee(s) to minimize the negative impact on children released from employment as a result of implementation or enforcement of the Code.

Forced Labor

Forced Labor:  There shall not be any use of forced prison labor, indentured labor, bonded labor or other forced labor.

Health and Safety

Health and Safety: Licensees shall provide a safe and healthy working environment to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of Licensee facilities.

Nondiscrimination

Nondiscrimination: No person shall be subject to any discrimination in employment, including hiring, salary, benefits, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, political opinion, or social or ethnic origin.

Harassment and Abuse

Harassment or Abuse: Every employee shall be treated with dignity and respect. No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse. Licensees will not use or tolerate any form of corporal punishment.

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining: Licensees shall recognize and bargaining respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Additional Labor Code of Conduct adopted:

Women’s Rights

In addition to the Women’s Rights Code adopted above, the following are additions to the Code:

  1. Women workers will receive equal remuneration, including benefits, equal treatment, equal evaluation of the quality of their work, and equal opportunity to fill all positions as male workers.
  2. Pregnancy tests will not be a condition of employment, nor will they be demanded of employees.
  3. Workers who take maternity leave will not face dismissal nor threat of dismissal, loss of seniority or deduction of wages, and will be able to return to their former employment at the same rate of pay and benefits.
  4. Workers will not be forced or pressured to use contraception.
  5. Workers will not be exposed to hazards, including glues and solvents, that may endanger their safety, including their reproductive health.
  6. Employers shall provide appropriate services and accommodations to women workers in connection with pregnancy.