|
Jostens, the manufacturer of the caps
and gowns that Smith seniors wear at commencement, has provided the following
information about steps they have taken regarding workplace issues and standards
and about Maco-Mex, their supplier of caps and gowns:
* Jostens contracts with
a company called Maco-Mex to assemble caps and gowns. They are our supply
partners located in three communities in the State of Aguascalientes,
Mexico. Essentially, we contract with Maco-Mex to assemble (sew) graduation
cap and gowns that are first cut in the U.S., and then sent back to the U.S.
for distribution.
* Our supply partner owns three facilities
and employs approximately 25-120 workers at each location. In addition to Jostens,
Maco-Mex contracts
for packaging
and assembly services with two other U.S. corporations. Jostens has had a
working relationship with Maco-Mex for eight years.
* Be assured that we take
appropriate measures to ensure that our supply partner provides an appropriate
work environment for worker safety and comfort,
including
visiting the production facilities four times annually for periodic operations
reviews.
* Our supply partner's facilities have
been found to be clean, well-lighted buildings with cement floors, air-handling
systems and open-air
ventilation.
By shifting assembly work to these facilities Jostens is able to be more
competitive in the market and deliver greater value to our customers.
* Mexico does have a minimum wage.
In addition to the minimum wage, Mexican federal laws require severance,
a social security program and health
care provisions available on site. Maco-Mex is the largest employer
in each
of the communities
where it is located. The wages the workers receive are above the minimum
wage and considered to be the best in the area. Also, the plant provides
on-site
health care service, meals, and transportation. Maco-Mex workers also
belong to a union.
* Last year Maco-Mex achieved ISO-9002
certification for their operations, which is an international standard of
manufacturing
management excellence.
An ISO-9002 certification is extremely rare for a textile manufacturing
facility in Mexico. To learn about ISO, how companies become certified
and to contact
ISO and research Maco Mex's application and audit, visit the ISO
web sit at www.iso.ch .
* Jostens does not employ prison labor.
From 1993 through 1997, we did contract with the Leath Correctional Facility
in Laurens,
S.C.,
to sew
our gowns.
It was not a sweatshop environment. Jostens discontinued its association
with
Leath in late 1997.
* Jostens does not own or operate any
manufacturing facilities outside the U.S. and Canada.
We believe that Jostens is an industry
leader that understands the issues related to workplace standards and has
proactively taken appropriate
steps
to inform
customers, employees and business partners about our commitment to ethical
and lawful business practices through the implementation -- and ongoing
monitoring and compliance with -- Jostens' Workplace Code of Conduct.
In addition to
implementing our own Workplace Code of Conduct, we are members of BSR (Businesses
for Social Responsibility) and we have signed the Follett
and CLC's codes of conduct, as well as several other individual colleges'
codes of conduct. Also, Jostens' application to the Fair Labor Association
(FLA)
was accepted in the fall of 2001, making us one of only 13 fully participating
companies nationwide who have met their rigorous application standards.
The FLA it is a unique collaboration of companies, human rights and labor rights
organizations and 160 colleges and universities that are working together
to improve workplace conditions in factories around the world. More than
1,000
U. S. companies have applied for membership in the FLA. |
