Policy on Anti-Slavery and Equivalent Rights for Outsourced Workers

^{Policy Created: 2022
Last Reviewed: --}

1. Introduction

1.    Hong Kong Baptist University (“the University”) is committed to financial probity and accountability in its purchasing activities. The University expects its suppliers to act in ways consistent with the following key principles: 

• Anti-slavery principle
• Workers’ equivalent rights principle
• Value for money principle
• Ethical principle
• Environmental sustainability principle

2.    The University establishes policies and procedures which set out the expected behaviours of its staff when they perform any purchasing activities, while the Code of Conduct for Suppliers and Outsourced Service Providers (“Code”), and the Policy on Anti-Slavery and Equivalent Rights for Outsourced Workers (“the Policy”) set out the behaviours expected for its suppliers and outsourced service providers, collectively referred hereinafter as suppliers.

3.    The University should engage suppliers who share the same principles as stated in the Code and the Policy, and who are willing to work collaboratively to achieve shared goals. The University also prefers suppliers who take responsibilities to work with their downstream suppliers to implement these principles in successive layers of its supply chain network. The commitments of suppliers to the Code and the Policy will contribute to their success in securing the University’s procurement decisions.

4.    Apart from upholding the principles set out in the Code and the Policy, the University expects all suppliers to comply with relevant laws and regulations applicable in their jurisdictions at all times.

2. Anti-slavery Principle

5.    The University is committed to combatting modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour practices in its supply chains, and promoting practices to identify and mitigate such risks within the local and international communities.

6.    The University expects its suppliers to comply with any applicable laws and standards relating to modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour (such as International Labour Standards developed by the International Labour Organisation which are ratified by the People’s Republic of China - Hong Kong) and prefers suppliers who demonstrate a commitment to addressing the concerns by ways of: 

• providing transparent, complete and accurate information and/or evidence in relation to their supply chains to ensure compliance with the relevant laws and standards upon University’s requests; and
• complying, as well as ensuring the compliance of their downstream suppliers, with all the relevant laws and standards applicable in the supplier’s places of operation. 

3. Workers’ Equivalent Rights Principle

7.    As a publicly-funded institution and responsible employer, the University strives to provide a safe and healthy working environment for its employees. In some circumstances where outsourcing of services may be necessary, the University is committed to putting proper performance monitoring mechanism in place over the outsourced service providers to ensure that their workers are entitled with fair compensation and equivalent rights.

8.    The labour conditions of the suppliers’ workers shall be protected by ensuring that they receive fair wages and competitive benefits comparable with the market, and meeting the statutory requirements. The University prefers suppliers who

• observe the fundamental principles of human rights and equal opportunities, and do not involve in any forms of discrimination in hiring and employment practices;
• provide a safe and healthy working environment to their workers with appropriate training;
• treat their workers with respect and do not engage in any forms of exploitation of their workers; and
• affirm freedom of expression and provide communication channels to engage workers’ views appropriately.