Canadian Bill S-211
Reporting period ending June 25, 2023 (FY23)
R.C. Bigelow Inc.
BILL S-211
This statement is made pursuant to Bill S-211, An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act and to amend the Customs Tariff. It outlines the approach by R.C. Bigelow Inc. to address the risks of forced labor and child labor in its business operations and supply chains during the fiscal year commencing on June 27, 2022, and ending on June 25, 2023.
- COMPANY STRUCTURE
Headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut and 100% family and woman owned, R.C. Bigelow Inc. pioneered the specialty tea category in 1945. Today in the United States, we are the market leader in the tea industry. Our company, known as Bigelow Tea, is guided by the commitment to deliver an uncompromising quality tea experience that enriches life’s everyday moments. We maintain product-specific certifications including Organic, Kosher, Non-GMO Project Verified and Fair-Trade. We remain an active member of the Ethical Tea Partnership. We have also maintained the status of a Certified B Corporation since 2019 and in 2023 Bigelow was certified as Women Owned by the Women Business Enterprise National Council.
Bigelow Tea has operations in Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, and South Carolina. We are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. It is our company’s mission to ensure that we provide a product that meets all regulatory requirements and exceeds our consumers’ expectations. Bigelow Tea products are available in the U.S., Canada, and other select countries. For more information, visit our website (www.bigelowtea.com).
- SUPPLY CHAIN
Bigelow Tea has zero tolerance for the practice of child and forced labor within our global and local supply chain. As supply chain management is integral to the operation of Bigelow Tea, we have maintained long-term relationships with our suppliers to ensure consistent, reliable, and relevant supply chain standards. It is a mandatory requirement for suppliers to sign the Bigelow Tea Supplier Code of Conduct. Signing confirms our vendor’s compliance of standards applicable to local laws and regulations relating to ethical business practices, environmental management, occupational health and safety, and labor practices including freely chosen employment and child labor laws. It is based on the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code, which is itself founded on the main conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and is an internationally recognized code of labor practice.
To manage the risk of forced and child labor, suppliers may be subject to an audit, and in the case of non-compliance, the business relationship can ultimately be terminated. If an irregularity is uncovered in any of the areas of the Code of Conduct, Bigelow Tea will first collaborate with the supplier to implement a time-bound program of improvement (remediation) leading to conformance and if they are not corrected business may cease. We reserve the right to terminate agreements with any supplier for transgressions or where there is no willingness to make the necessary changes.
Additionally, we maintain product-specific certifications including Organic, Kosher, Non-GMO Project Verified and Fair-Trade. We also remain an active member of the Ethical Tea Partnership. Since 2019, we have also maintained the status of a Certified B Corporation, which verifies that our business is meeting high standards of performance, accountability, and transparency. Every three years we complete a rigorous assessment of our company's practices which examines five categories: governance, workers, community, the environment, and customers. In 2023, we became certified as Women Owned by the Women Business Enterprise National Council.
- TRAINING
All related materials have been made available to those employees in relevant positions.
- EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENT
In addition to due diligence strategies detailed in section two, employees conduct site visits, media reviews, and conduct regular supplier compliance documentation reviews.
- ATTESTATION
In accordance with the requirements of the Act, and in particular section 11 thereof, I attest that I have reviewed the information contained in the report for the entity listed above. Based on my knowledge, and having exercised reasonable diligence, I attest that the information in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects for the purposes of the Act, for the reporting year listed above. I have the authority to bind R.C. Bigelow Inc.
