
﻿ FAQ How does H&M check that suppliers abide by the Code of Conduct ? We employ full-time auditors whose job it is to check compliance with our Code of Conduct . During audits they go through a list containing over 300 points , relating to working conditions , the working environment , etc. After each audit we collate the results in a report that specifies the areas where improvements are needed , and the supplier is set a deadline for submitting an action plan . The auditors then visit the factories to follow up whether these actions have been taken . H&M also supports suppliers ’ improvement work through training and projects of various kinds . Read more about our Code of Conduct follow-up here . Is it possible to buy clothes produced with limited environmental impact at a good price ? H&M’s business concept is to offer fashion and quality at the best price . We manage this by buying direct from the manufacturers , by having efficient logistics and by having our own stores – not by compromising on our environmental requirements . We are also cost-conscious at every stage and the fact is that a cheaper mode of transport – such as by ship – causes lower carbon dioxide emissions than more expensive means of transport , such as aircraft . So there is no conflict of interest between good prices and low climate impact . We make efforts to support our suppliers so that production takes place with consideration for the health of customers and workers as well as for the environment . What is H&M 's policy regarding fur and leather products ? H&M does not sell real fur . H&M only sells leather from sheep , pigs , goats and cattle that have been bred for meat production , not just for their skin . No other leather is permitted in products sold by H&M . Are H&M cosmetics tested on animals ? No animal testing is carried out on our cosmetics products , neither during production nor on the finished products . Why do H&M not use Fairtrade cerified cotton ? H&M constantly works to improve conditions in cotton farming . One of the ways we do so , is through our active involvement in the Better Cotton Initiative ( BCI ) , where we are members of the steering comittee . BCI 's vision is to enable millions of farmers around the world to grow cotton in a way thats more beneficial for both the farming community and the environment . Read more about BCI at www . bettercotton . org . H&M also offers clothes made with organic cotton . The cotton used in these clothes is 100 % organically grown cotton , certified by the Control Union . We also incorporate organic cotton into some of our children’s and babies ’ wear . We hope that we can thereby show cotton farmers that there is a demand for organic cotton and encourage them to switch from conventional to organic production . Read more about the certification of organic cotton at www . controlunion . com . How can H&M ensure that your products are free from harmful chemicals ? The health and safety of our customers is a very high priority concern , which is why we have been actively working for more than ten years on restricting the use of chemicals that may be harmful to both your health and the environment . We do this by means of our Chemical Restrictions – a list of restrictions that all suppliers must undertake to observe . We regularly test our products to ensure that they do not contain harmful chemicals . We apply the precautionary principle , which means that we do not only ban the use of substances that have been proven to be harmful , but also those merely suspected of being so . This completely ensures that our customers can feel safe with our products . Why does H&M have their own auditors ? Having our own auditors makes it easier to work for long-term improvements in our suppliers ’ factories . Moreover , integrating CSR work into our day-to-day operations takes very high priority at H&M . When choosing suppliers , for example , compliance with our Code of Conduct is one of the aspects we consider . This work is made considerably easier by having our own audit team at the offices in the countries that handle production . Monitoring and improvement work in the factories is the H&M auditors sole task . They are not required to consider commercial aspects , but instead make independent decisions that our buying organisation must respect . To complement our own monitoring programme , H&M participates in the Fair Labor Association ( FLA ) . Among other things , this participation means that the FLA makes unannounced independent external monitoring visits to a number of H&M’s suppliers ' factories in China and Turkey . We hope that this will show our customers and other stakeholders how well our follow-up in the factories is working . In addition , participating in the FLA provides good opportunities to cooperate with other companies and the FLA’s partner organisations , with the aim of improving working standards in our supply chain . We also use the results of the FLA’s audits as a point of reference for quality assurance of our internal monitoring programme . How can you guarantee merino wool products are mulesing-free ? H&M considers it important that animals are not mistreated . We have therefore distanced ourselves from mulesing and concentrated our buying on suppliers that can guarantee mulesing-free merino wool . How do you ensure that child labour is n't used during production ? H&M’s auditors carry out regular checks to ensure that there are no underage workers in the factories . It is extremely rare for child labour to be discovered at H&M 's suppliers or their subcontractors . Should this nonetheless happen , H&M requires the supplier to take responsibility and , together with H&M and the family , to find a solution in the best interests of the child . An investigation is then carried out , looking at how best to resolve the situation based on the child’s interests . On many occasions , the solution will involve the supplier contributing financially so that the child can receive an education , while compensating the family for the loss of income . If H&M discovers repeated breaches of its ban on child labour at a supplier – or one of its subcontractors – the cooperation will be ended for good . How do I know where my H&M items were produced ? All products in H&M’s range have the country of origin stated on the label . Why are the factory workers wages so low ? Since H&M neither owns nor operates the factories that make our clothes , we do not set or pay the factory employees ’ wages . We are rarely the suppliers ’ only customer and a worker may produce items for a number of different buyers in the same month . We believe that all the employees of a factory should have the same earnings potential , regardless of which buyer they are making clothes for . But we demand – and check – that everyone receives the pay and overtime remuneration to which they are legally entitled . That is the only practicable solution – and the most competition-neutral . Our Code of Conduct states that the statutory minimum wage is the lowest acceptable pay level for our suppliers ’ employees , but not the recommended level . We prefer to see pay levels based on negotiations between employer and employees , and for the law to lay down a reasonable minimum wage .