HISTORY
For too long, wallets were designed to hold everything: cash, receipts, gift cards, IDs, and anything else that could be stuffed inside. Ridge completely changed that mindset with its minimalist-first approach to design. Father/son team Daniel and Paul Kane launched the original Ridge Wallet on Kickstarter in 2013, and the new and updated version is in the pockets and purses of over 5 million men and women worldwide. The Kanes have since built a highly knowledgeable and skilled team to execute their vision of creating quality, functional products that inspire people to re-think what they carry everyday and how they travel. Ridge is minimalist without being limiting. It’s about carrying less but always having what you need.
TRANSPARENCY AND ETHICS
Ridge was built on a foundation of conducting business with integrity and adhering to the highest ethical standards. Ridge recognizes that operating in a transparent, ethical, and legal manner is vital to maintaining the company’s reputation and success, and the goodwill of its employees, customers, suppliers, and business partners. Therefore, Ridge is dedicated to conducting business in an open and honest manner including, but not limited to, acting with fiscal responsibility, administrative accountability, and policy enforcement. Ridge has established processes, audit procedures, and internal controls to support compliance with Ridge policies and applicable laws.
Ridge acknowledges and respects the diverse cultures, customs, and business practices it encounters in the international marketplace and is committed to observing the applicable U.S. laws and regulations that govern its operations as well as the laws of the foreign jurisdictions in which it conducts business in. Additionally, Ridge abides by various U.S. and international trade control regulations, including licensing, shipping documentation, export and import documentation and reporting and record retention requirements. Regardless of jurisdiction, Ridge applies ethical standards throughout its business transactions.
QUALITY STANDARDS
Ridge’s core company values can be attributed to the success of its business concept. Ridge has gained industry leadership by creating high quality, functional products that are made to last a lifetime. Ridge offers innovative products, provides a first class customer experience, and continually finds ways to improve and expand its products and elevate its service to customers.
In the process of designing, producing, and delivering functional and durable products, Ridge strives to implement a manufacturing process that is socially and environmentally responsible. Operating under such guiding principles, high quality standards are instilled throughout Ridge’s ownership, management and employees. Ridge’s licensing staff regularly participates in training regarding corporate social responsibility via the Fair Labor Association and coordinates with Sumerra to conduct social compliance audits through its Ethical Supplier Engagement Program. This information is shared with Ridge’s Product Development, Supply Chain, and Operations teams, and is implemented into team processes company-wide when relevant.
Ridge acknowledges a level of responsibility for outside contributors to its success. Ridge accepts the obligation to protect and represent the licensors and/or collaborative partners that have granted approval for Ridge to produce branded goods; therefore, Ridge is committed to working closely with its suppliers to help achieve positive social and environmental impacts in the factories that manufacture its products, as well as in the operations of other business partners. With regard to its key product lines, Ridge has an ownership interest in the manufacturing partners that produce those products, both domestically and abroad.
AREAS OF EMPHASIS
Ridge customers can have confidence that products manufactured or assembled by its suppliers or in corporate-owned facilities are compliant with best practices in manufacturing and are not produced under exploitative or inhumane conditions In furtherance of this goal, Ridge abides by U.S. Labor Law where such laws exceed the standards outlined below. Ridge is a member of the Fair Labor Association and has adopted the FLA Code of Conduct. By striving to operate within the standards and guidelines of the FLA, Ridge helps ensure a higher rate of accountability, safety, and social responsibility throughout the manufacturing process. The policies set forth encompass Ridge’s ability to help govern and protect the people, licensors and/or collaborative partners, facilities, and environments it impacts in a positive and respectful manner.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Ridge requires its suppliers and other business partners to follow all national laws in the countries in which they operate, and where appropriate, in which products they supply are to be sold. Should any requirement in this Code conflict with the national law in any country or territory, the law must always be followed; failure to do so gives Ridge the right to terminate relationships with business partners. In such cases, the supplier must notify Ridge immediately before signing this Code. However, Ridge’s requirements may go beyond the requirements set out in national law.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Ridge requires its business partners and suppliers to safeguard confidential, proprietary, and/or trade secret information. Ridge’s intellectual property, including, but not limited to its domestic and foreignpatents, trademarks, trade secrets, trade dress, copyrights, service marks, and other proprietary information, constitutes one of Ridge’s most valuable assets. Protection and preservation of Ridge’s intellectual property is important to optimize the intellectual property’s value and, as applicable, to maintain its secrecy. Therefore, unauthorized disclosures of innovations or ideas concerning products or manufacturing processes that may be eligible for patent, copyrights, trademark or other trade secret protection is strictly prohibited and vigorously policed. Ridge similarly expects its suppliers to safeguard the confidential, proprietary, trade secret and/or privileged information of others, and to maintain its secrecy pursuant to applicable confidentiality and/or non-disclosure agreements, and actively monitors their activities in this regard.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The avoidance of real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest is vital to maintaining trust between Ridge and its business partners and suppliers. Therefore, personal relationships or interests must not influence the work that partners and suppliers conduct for Ridge. Both actual conflicts of interest and the mere appearance of a conflict of interest must be avoided. All business partners and suppliers are required to report actual or possible conflicts of interest to avoid potential consequences and to avoid harm to Ridge.
SUPPLIER TERMS & CONDITIONS
Ridge screens and selects its suppliers based on their ability to exhibit best practices, including safety, quality, and consistency, throughout the manufacturing, assembly, and distribution processes, along with their agreement to Ridge’s Supplier Code of Conduct. The specifications listed below outline what Ridge requires from its suppliers, their subcontractors, and other business partners to fulfill Ridge’s commitment to its owners, employees, customers, and other stakeholders. It is the responsibility of Ridge’s suppliers and other business partners to inform their subcontractors of said policies, and to ensure these policies are implemented in every factory and workplace that produces, finishes, packs, or otherwise handles goods or performs services for Ridge. Ridge bases its requirements predominately on internationally agreed standards such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, and applicable ILO Conventions, as well as national legislation.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Ridge requires its suppliers and other business partners to make employee safety a priority at all times. Suppliers are responsible for assuring that all workers are qualified to perform their work functions safely. Suppliers must provide workers with appropriate workplace health and safety training in their primary language and health and safety related information shall be clearly posted in the facility. Suppliers implement management systems and controls that identify hazards, and
assess and control risk related to their specific industry. Additionally, Suppliers as employers adopt responsible measures to mitigate negative impacts that the workplace has on the environment.
Suppliers provide a safe and healthy workplace setting 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 employers’ facilities. No hazardous equipment or unsafe buildings are acceptable. Suppliers must comply, at minimum, with national laws on occupational health and safety and structural safety including, but not limited to, emergency preparedness, fire safety, first aid, personal protective equipment, storage and handling of chemicals and hazardous materials, equipment and electrical safety, noise, lighting, ventilation, sanitation, access to potable water, clean toilet facilities, and employee training.
Working Environment: The premises must be regularly maintained and cleaned and must provide a healthy working environment, including adequate heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems, reasonable personal space, first aid supplies, and emergency exits. Workers must have unrestricted access to necessities, such as clean drinking water and toilets, during both work and non-work hours at the work site.
Fire and Emergency Safety: Emergency exits on all floors must be clearly marked, well lit and unblocked all the way out of the building. Evacuation through emergency exits must always be possible during working hours. Everyone working on the premises, including managers and guards, must be regularly trained in how to act in case of fire or other emergency. Regular evacuation drills for all employees are required; evacuation plans and firefighting equipment must be in place.
WORKERS' RIGHTS
Ridge requires its suppliers and other business partners to 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.
Employment Relationship: Suppliers shall only employ workers who are legally authorized to work in their facilities and are responsible for validating workers' eligibility to work through appropriate documentation.
Forced Labor: There shall be no use of forced labor, including prison labor, indentured labor, bonded labor, or other forms of forced labor.
Child Labor: No person shall be employed under the age of 15 or under the age for completion of compulsory education, whichever is higher.
Migrant Workers: Migrant workers shall have exactly the same entitlements as local employees. Workers employed through an agent or contractor are the responsibility of Ridge’s supplier and other business partners, and are thus covered by this Code.
Women’s Rights: Suppliers must ensure female workers receive equal treatment in all aspects of employment, including pay. Pregnancy tests will not be a condition of employment. Workers must not be forced to use contraception.
Nondiscrimination: No person shall be subject to any discrimination in employment, including hiring, compensation, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, political opinion, social group, or ethnic origin.
Harassment or Abuse: Every employee shall be treated with respect and dignity. No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal harassment or abuse.
Hours of Work: Employers shall not require workers 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.
Overtime Work: All overtime work shall be consensual. Employers shall not request overtime on a regular basis and shall compensate all overtime work at a premium rate. Other than in exceptional circumstances, the sum of regular and overtime hours in a week shall not exceed 60 hours.
Compensation: Every worker has a right to compensation for a regular work week that is sufficient to meet the worker’s basic needs and provide some discretionary income. 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 benefits required by law or contract. 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.
Freedom of Movement: Workers’ freedom of movement not be restricted under any circumstances. They shall never be physically confined to the workplace or any related premises.
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining: Employers shall recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Workers shall be able to openly communicate with management regarding working conditions without fear of discrimination, intimidation or harassment.
Protection of Identity: Suppliers shall provide an anonymous complaint mechanism for managers and workers to report workplace grievances. Suppliers shall protect whistleblower confidentiality and prohibit retaliation.
ENVIRONMENT
Because protection of the environment is a global concern, Ridge expects its suppliers and other business partners to act responsibly in this respect and comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations in their country of operation.
Environmental Permits: The supplier must have all relevant environmental permits and licenses for its operations.
Handling of Chemicals: Chemical containers must be properly labeled and safely stored. A material safety data sheet must be accessible in the local language.
Water Management and Wastewater Treatment: Since water is a scarce resource in many parts of the world, it should be used as efficiently as possible. All outgoing wastewater from wet processes must be treated before it is discharged and it must meet the requirements of local legislation.
Waste Management: Any waste, including hazardous waste, must be handled and disposed of in a responsible manner and in accordance with local law.
SUPPLIER MONITORING AND CORRECTIVE ACTION
Transparency and Cooperation: Ridge expects its suppliers and other business partners to respect this Code of Conduct and to actively do their utmost to achieve these standards. Ridge also expects its suppliers and other business partners to be transparent and not intentionally mislead Ridge’s direct auditors or any independent third party auditors during announced or unannounced assessments. Ridge desires to work with its suppliers and other business partners to achieve sustainable solutions and to promote suppliers and other business partners that are in compliance. Any breaches of, or deviations from, Ridge’s Code of Conduct must immediately be reported to Ridge’s management via email to legal@ridge.com.
Monitoring: All suppliers and other business partners are obliged to keep Ridge informed at all times of where each product is being produced, including subcontracting and home work. Relevant documentation must be maintained for auditing purposes. Ridge reserves the right to make unannounced visits to all locations producing goods or providing services for Ridge at any time. Ridge also reserves the right to appoint an independent third party of our choice to conduct audits to evaluate compliance with our Code of Conduct.
Supply Chain: Ridge’s Code of Conduct applies only to its direct suppliers, other business partners and manufacturers of goods or services for Ridge and their downstream subcontractors. However, we encourage our suppliers and other business partners to impose social and environmental requirements upstream in their supply chain, including suppliers of other components and raw materials. Examples of such requirements include banning the use of forced labor and child labor.
Corrective Action: Ridge’s audits aim to identify any gaps between the requirements in this Code of Conduct and the actual practices and conditions in the workplace. The audited supplier usually will be given the opportunity to propose and implement a corrective action plan. Ridge staff will follow up on the implementation of the corrective action plan and verify that violations have been remedied within a reasonable time frame. Any supplier that fails to undertake sustainable improvements within the stipulated time frame will seriously damage its relationship with Ridge. Unwillingness to cooperate or repeated serious violations of Ridge’s Code of Conduct and local law may lead to reduced business and/or termination of the business relationship with Ridge.
