INTRODUCTION

This Ethical Policy serves as a guideline for all of Orbis Marketing’s business practices. Through its business practises Orbis Marketing seeks to support the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).  The company’s position on Human Rights reflects the core requirements of the UDHR, such as freedom from torture, unjustified imprisonment, unfair trial and other oppression.  It also includes freedom of expression, religion and political or other representation.

HUMAN RIGHTS

            On the basis of this policy Orbis Marketing Ltd will not provide support or work with:

Businesses or organisations which fail to uphold basic human rights within their sphere of influence.  Orbis Marketing recognises that businesses have the opportunity to ensure that human rights are upheld in all those aspects of their operations that they could reasonably expect to control.  These can include:

  • direct control, such as labour conditions within their factories, for example, or use of land for their operations;
  • more indirect influence, for example, companies occupying positions of strategic importance within a country often have opportunities to affect positive social change beyond their own operations.

Businesses or organisations with links to an oppressive regime – regimes where basic human rights, as set out in the UDHR, are denied in a systematic manner over time. By “links to an oppressive regime” Orbis Marketing means:

  • businesses operating in states governed by oppressive regimes, whose activities are considered to support or benefit the regime, usually at the expense of the indigenous population;
  • businesses using state security forces or supplying arms to state security forces within an oppressive regime.

GLOBAL TRADE

Orbis Marketing advocates and supports the Fundamental International Labour Organisation Conventions.  These Conventions are the most widely-accepted standards for minimum labour rights and cover the use of forced labour, use of child labour, collective bargaining and freedom of association.  Orbis Marketing will seek to support businesses or organisations that take a responsible position with regard to:

  • fair trade;
  • labour rights in their own operations and through their supply chains in developing countries.

Orbis Marketing will not support businesses or organisations whose activities include:

  • irresponsible marketing practices in developing countries, including inappropriate marketing to children;
  • inappropriate financial trading methods;
  • tobacco product manufacture or distribution.

GENETIC MODIFICATION

Orbis Marketing will not provide support or work with businesses or organisations involved in the development, distribution or marketing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) where, in particular, the following activities are evident:

  • uncontrolled release of GMOs into the environment;
  • any negative impacts on developing countries such as the imposition of “Terminator” technologies – technologies that genetically engineer sterility into crop plants, for no other purpose than to protect and enforce corporate patents on GM seeds;

ECOLOGICAL IMPACT AND ANIMAL WELFARE

Orbis Marketing actively seeks ways to reduce the ecological impact of its own activities in terms of energy and materials usage.  Orbis Marketing will encourage the organisations it works with to take a pro-active stance on the environmental impact of their own activities to avoid repeated damage to the environment and will actively support organisations involved in:

  • recycling and sustainable waste management;
  • renewable energy and energy efficiency;
  • sustainable natural products and services including timber and organic produce;
  • the pursuit of ecological sustainability;
  • the development of alternatives to animal experimentation;
  • farming methods which promote animal welfare.