Environment and Ethical Sourcing

Environment

Adairs is committed to developing sustainable business practices, and a long-term sustainability strategy is under development which will formalise current and future initiatives across the business.

Adairs has been a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant via its APCO membership since 2011. Our APCO Annual Reports for the last three years may be accessed below:

2023 APCO Annual Report
2022 APCO Annual Report
2021 APCO Annual Report


Adairs is currently undertaking a comprehensive sustainable packaging review, engaging leading industry experts to accelerate this process and identify long term, cost effective solutions

Other sustainability initiatives

Adairs currently has a number of sustainable attributes across a number of product categories. These include the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), OEKO TEX Standard 100, Responsible Down Standard (RDS), Reprieve by Unifi (polyester from recycled plastic bottles), FSC certified timber and sustainable timber.

Adairs continues to explore opportunities to expand existing initiatives whilst identifying new areas of opportunity regarding raw materials, climate change, water usage, chemical usage, energy usage and carbon emissions.

Ethical sourcing

Supply chains are complex structures, particularly where they cross country borders and involve multiple levels of suppliers and sub-contractors across the production process. These complexities raise the risk of unethical practices and require robust processes and vigilance.

Adairs has a Supplier Code of Conduct which all suppliers (and any sub-contractors) are required to sign up to before commencing any work and which includes strong governance requirements. Our Supplier Code of Conduct has been translated as required and covers:

  • Human rights (including child labour, harassment, discrimination, freedom of association, grievance procedures, wages and working hours)
  • Forced labour (including Modern Slavery)
  • Safe working conditions
  • Restricted raw materials and practices (ensuring banned substances and banned processes are not used in or on any Adairs product. Includes animal welfare protections). 
  • Environment (multiple initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility)
  • Business licenses and registrations
  • Transparency (across end-to-end production process)
  • Unauthorised sub-contracting; and
  • Anti-bribery and corruption

Modern Slavery

Adairs has procedures in place to ensure no modern slavery exists within its supply chain and broader business – to date no material issues have been found however risks remain, particularly where operations are several steps removed from Adairs direct involvement

Approximately 93% of the group’s products are sourced outside of Australia - primarily from China, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

Adairs uses four primary tools to identify where it may inadvertently cause, contribute or be linked to potential risks of modern slavery.

Tool Explanation
Use of industry leading external specialists Adairs has engaged a leading ethical sourcing specialist to undertake a Modern Slavery Risk Assessment across its entire business, including sourcing markets and supply chain. This assessment is used to identify key risk areas and ensure focus is applied to areas of greatest risk.
Independent audits Adairs requires all of its Tier 1 factories to supply a current Social Compliance Audit, completed by an independent and appropriately qualified party. These audits involve worker interviews by experienced specialists who have the knowledge and skill to identify any weaknesses or problem areas. As we work through traceability of further tiers we will be expecting the same level of compliance.
Factory visits Adairs undertakes in person factory visits across the supply chain. These are conducted by members of the Product, Management and Risk & Compliance teams. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions these visits have currently been outsourced to accredited external providers until further notice.
Tip-offs Adairs utilises tools such as confidential whistle-blower hotlines and grievance mechanisms.


Our Ethical Sourcing Policy, which includes our Supplier Code of Conduct, and latest Modern Slavery Statement can be on our Corporate GovernanceOpens in new window page.