Bunnings - Human rights
As a leading retailer of home improvement and outdoor living products, Bunnings’ global merchandise supply chains are complex.
Bunnings recognises its role in upholding human rights, with its robust Ethical Sourcing Program continuing to evolve in line with industry developments. This program includes relevant provisions in supplier trading terms, supply chain visibility, risk assessments, and third-party audits, all targeted at identifying issues and working in partnership with suppliers and manufacturers to resolve these issues.
Bunnings recognise that the best approach is to build capability in their supply chains, and that exiting a product line or supply chain is always a last resort. In the financial year, 145 manufacturing sites remediated more than 800 non-conformances identified via third-party audits, which improved working conditions for more than 57,000 workers in 17 countries.
In collaboration with other Wesfarmers businesses, Bunnings launched the ‘Your Voice, Worker Helpline’ in 110 factories across China and Vietnam during the financial year. The Helpline allows workers to confidentially raise concerns about their pay or working conditions. Posters promoting the Helpline are displayed inside factories and business cards are provided to workers.
Workers can raise concerns via phone call, email, or messenger services, including WhatsApp or WeChat. All reports are answered in the worker’s native language by a dedicated in-country team, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Helpline allows Bunnings to work collaboratively with its suppliers to proactively address workers’ concerns, identify patterns over time and improve audit performance.
Delivering training to Bunnings’ team members and suppliers was a major focus throughout the year, with more than 3,700 Bunnings team members and over 6,100 suppliers, manufacturers and their workforce completing modern slavery and human rights training.
During the year, Bunnings continued to participate in industry initiatives to support the introduction of modern slavery legislation in New Zealand.
In the coming year, Bunnings will continue to expand its Ethical Sourcing Program to support its long-term objective of achieving appropriate human rights due diligence covering all goods for resale, goods not for resale and services.
