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-  Vendor Terms & Conditions  - 
 

   

The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS Brand requires that Suppliers observe all applicable law and regulations; the highest standards of business and personal ethics; and act with integrity in an open and honest manner. Suppliers acting on behalf of The KEELEN COMPANY (NATURE’S MILLS) must comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and all other local laws dealing with bribery of government officials and are not permitted to engage in any corrupt practices. A copy of the Act is posted on: http://www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa/statutes/regulations.html. A corrupt practice may include, but is not restricted to, a Supplier or third party acting on behalf of the Supplier providing anything of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official, employee of a government-controlled company, or political party to influence a decision in favor of the Supplier or a customer of Supplier, or to obtain any other improper benefit or advantage. Suppliers must keep, and furnish to The KEELEN COMPANY (NATURE’S MILLS), on request, a written accounting of all payments (including any gifts, meals, entertainment or anything else of value) made on behalf of The KEELEN COMPANY (NATURE’S MILLS) or out of funds provided by The KEELEN COMPANY support The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS Brand.

 

   EMPLOYMENT-RELATED MATIERS

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• Applicable Local Labor Laws: All business activities of Suppliers must comply with all national and local legal requirements along with published industry standards pertaining to employment and manufacturing in the applicable country.

• Forced Labor: Suppliers must not use prison labor; forced labor; labor under any form of indentured servitude; physical punishment; confinement; threats of violence; or any other forms of abuse. Suppliers will ensure that their employees are not subjected to psychological, verbal, sexual or physical harassment of any other form of abuse and will comply with all applicable laws on harassment and abuse of employees.

• Slavery & Human Trafficking: The use of slavery or human trafficking (including debt bondage) by Suppliers is forbidden.

• Child Labor Practices: Suppliers must comply with all applicable child labor laws and are prohibited from using workers under the legal age of employment in the relevant country or where work interferes with schooling requirements under applicable local laws and regulations. Suppliers shall not hire any employee, who is less than 15 years old regardless of the legal age of employment in the relevant country.

• Working Hours: Suppliers must ensure that all employees working on products supplied to The KEELEN COMPANY (NATURE’S MILLS) do so in compliance with all applicable national and local laws and with published industry standards pertaining to the number of hours and days worked and overtime.

• Compensation: Supplier employees working on products supplied to The KEELEN COMPANY must be fairly compensated and provided with wages and benefits that comply with applicable national and local laws.

• Non-Discrimination: Suppliers shall not discriminate in hiring or applying employment practices on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical ability, national origin, or any other prohibited basis or personal characteristic unrelated to job performance, and will comply with all applicable employment discrimination laws.

• Work place environment: Suppliers must provide their employees with safe and healthy working conditions and, where provided, living conditions. This includes, at a minimum, potable drinking water, adequate and clean restrooms, adequate ventilation, fire exits, essential safety equipment, emergency first aid kit, access to emergency medical care, and appropriately lit workstations. Suppliers' facilities must be constructed and maintained in accordance with the standards set by applicable national and local laws, codes and ordinances.

 

   COMMUNICATION

Suppliers may not utilize The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS's name, trademarks, logos, graphics or images unless approved and expressly permitted in writing by The KEELEN COMPANY.  Significant agreements with distributors, brokers and Suppliers should be set out in writing.

 

  SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT

Suppliers should continuously strive for greater efficiency and sustainability of their operations. Suppliers must comply with all applicable national and local environmental laws and regulations.

 

  TRADE RESTRICTIONS

Suppliers are not required to forego trade with The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS's competitors in order to merit The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS purchases. Suppliers are free to sell products in competition except when otherwise agreed to in writing with The KEELEN COMPNY and/or where the product involved is one in which The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS has a substantial proprietary interest because of an important contribution to the concept, design, or manufacturing process. No Supplier will be asked to buy The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS's products in order to start or continue as a Supplier.

 

  TRADEMARK RIGHTS

We and our affiliates, licensors and content providers are the owners of all the trademarks used on the Site. Third parties are not allowed to use and apply any of the trademarks, logos and identifying marks without our express written consent.

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 PRODUCT QUALITY AND SAFETY

All products and services delivered by a Supplier must meet the necessary specifications and criteria outlined by The KEELEN COMPNY Quality Assurance.

 

   CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Suppliers should avoid any interaction with a The KEELEN COMPANY employee that may conflict with, or appear to conflict with, that employee acting in the best interests of The KEELEN COMPANY. While it is impossible to list every circumstance-giving rise to possible conflicts, the following provides limited examples of potential conflicts of interest:

• Interest in a business: Ownership by an The KEELEN COMPANY employee or by anyone in a family relationship with such THE KEELEN COMPNY employee (spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-or father-in-law, or same or opposite sex domestic partner) of a substantial financial interest in a Supplier with which The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS does business or is seeking to do business.

• Inducement: Any relationship by The KEELEN COMPANY employee or by anyone in a family relationship with such The KEELEN COMPANY employee with a Supplier as a director, officer, employee, agent, consultant, etc.

• Relationship with other businesses: Any attempt by The KEELEN COMPANY employee or by anyone in a family relationship with such The KEELEN COMPANY employee to induce any purchaser, Supplier, government official, labor union representative, or others to compromise their employment or public  duties by the making of any gift, payment, loan or grant of unreasonable favors.

 

   GIFTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND CORPORATE HOSPITALITY

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Gifts, entertainment, and other hospitality, whether given or received, should be of such a scale and nature as to avoid compromising the integrity or impugning the reputation of all parties. Business decisions will be made on the basis of value, cost, quality, and service. No gift, favor, or entertainment should be provided or accepted if it will obligate or appear to obligate the recipient. Gifts or entertainment may be provided if they are reasonable complements to business relationships, or of modest value and not against the law. The KEELEN COMPANY employees may not accept gifts, favors, and entertainment valued at more than $25 USD in any one year from the same Supplier.  Gifts, favors or entertainment are not needed to conduct business with The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS Brand.

 

   CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

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Suppliers who have been given access to confidential information as part of the business relationship should not share this information with anyone else unless authorized to do so by The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS.  If a Supplier believes it has given access to The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS's confidential information in error, the Supplier should immediately notify its contact at The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS and refrain from further distribution of such information.

 

   REPORTING POTENTIAL MISCONDUCT; AUDIT AND UPDATES

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Suppliers who believe that a The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS employee, or anyone acting on behalf of The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS brands, has engaged in illegal or otherwise improper conduct with respect to their business with the Supplier should report the matter to The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS. Suppliers should also report any potential violation of the Code. Reports may be made at Info@naturesmills.com; and/or to the naturesmills.com. A Supplier's relationship with The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS will not be affected by any honest report of potential misconduct.

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The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS or it other family of brands reserves the right to verify the Suppliers compliance with the Code.  If The KEELEN COMPANY becomes aware of any actions or conditions that are not in compliance with the Code, The KEELEN COMPNY reserves the right to demand corrective measures.  The KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS reserves the right to terminate an agreement with any Supplier who does not comply with the Code.

 

   SUPPLIER’S RESPONSIBILITY

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It is the Supplier's responsibility to regularly check the site for updates to the Code. The Code will be updated, if necessary, four times a year. (Updated on a quarterly basis) The updated Code will be available on the above site from the following dates 31January, 30 April, 31 July, and if needed on the 31 of October.

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   Note: The Code is applicable to the Suppliers, Producers, Processors and Distributors of THE KEELEN COMPANY and its majority-owned and joint venture owned subsidiaries. (Businesses) The Code contains the minimum standards applicable to THE KEELEN COMPANY (NATURE’S MILLS) Suppliers. Suppliers may have individual contracts with THE KEELEN COMPANY | NATURE’S MILLS that contain specific provisions and/or agreements relating to the issues above.  The Code is not meant to supersede such provisions and/or agreements and, to the extent there is any inconsistency between the Code and such provisions and/or agreements, the provisions and/or agreements in the separate contract shall control.