CRITERIA

Employment is Freely Chosen

Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining

Safe & Hygienic Working Environment

Child Labour

Living Wages To Be Paid

Working Hours Are Not Excessive

No Discrimination

Regular Employment

No Harsh Or Inhumane Treatment

Use of Agency Labour

Continual Improvement

General

Code

Law

Assess

Action Plan

Continual Improvement - Law

There is no law requiring continuous / continual improvement. Laws are usually enforced to stop the worst cases - they do not encourage the best. This is left to "best practices", which go beyond the minimum requirements of the law.

In fact many companies say they are hampered by "red tape" whereas they can achieve more through "voluntary measures". Whether this is true or not, depends on making sure that best, not worst, practices do prevail.

A key element in the development of Quality (and latterly 'environmental') Management Systems has been that they continually improve. This has been found to increase efficiency, reduce waste and deliver better.

And while it sounds daunting, improvements can always be found. Usually they start with individual faults, and then later lead to improvements in the overall process.

e.g. UK law requires all employers to carry out a health & safety risk assessment and to identify areas where conditions are too risky. But they do not require that conditions be continually improved. The Co-op Code does.