Company profile: Mammut Sports Group AG
Headquarters: Seon
Country: Switzerland
Founded in: 1862
Total points of sale in Europe: about 1000
Owned by: conzzeta Holding
Name of CEO: Rolf Schmid
Product description: Kollektionen Alpine/Mountain, Climbing und Snow Women/Men mit unterschiedlichen Materialfabrikanten Gore (Gore-Tex, Gore Windstopper), schoeller (3Xdry, keptotec, sftc,…), malden mills (Powerstretch, Power Dry, Thermal Pro,…), Pontetorto, Eschler Husky, Merino Wool, dri-release, BUrlington und eigenen Materialien DRYtec und SOFTtec Raichle Mountaineering, Backpacking, Hiking, Multifunction und Hunting Kollektion mit verschiedenem Leder (Nubuk, Velours,..), Textilien (schoeller, Dropstop,…), Innenfutter aus Gore-Tex, Leder, Textil (siehe Dealer Workbook)
Countries of production: China (People's Republic of China), Turkey, Germany, Latvia, Portugal
General remark: n.a.
Mammut Sports Group AG
Industriestrasse Birren
5703 Seon
ahuber(at)mammut.ch
Comment from CCC and proposals for action
Mammut belongs to Conzzeta Holding, a nearly 150-year-old company that is active in diverse sectors (such as sheet metal and glass treatment, automation systems, foam materials, sporting goods, and real estate). The name-brand shoe, Raichle, belongs to Mammut as well. The Swiss outdoor leader has only 18 producers and, based on sales volume, approximately 60 percent are produced in China. Up to approximately three-fourths of all Mammut producers enjoy a long-term business relationship. Although Mammut demonstrates a commitment to its factory workers, it relies too heavily on trust of its suppliers. Until now, Mammut has not yet let an independent authority verify to what extent the code of conduct in the production chain is being implemented.
Take action: Mention to the sales personnel how much you appreciate Mammut joining the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) and ask regularly about concrete progress. Ask for products from fair trade and ecologically-certified cotton.
The following evaluation of the company’s performance in terms of transparency, code implementation and monitoring of labour standards is based on the company’s response to the questionnaire from the CCC and on an additional desk study conducted by the CCC in 2007. In the section “Recent developments” you can find additional information gathered after 2007.
Transparency
Mammut Sports Group AG has responded to the CCC-questionnaire and has provided some additional documents. The company is in dialogue with some NGOs and/or trade unions. The amount of salaries of the top management is not known. Information is given about producer countries and the structure of the supply chain. There is no sustainability report available. Mammut Sports Group AG provides neither the results of factory audits nor information about verification activities. The company does not disclose general targets for future monitoring activities.
Formal commitment to labour standards
Mammut Sports Group AG has adopted a code of conduct that requires compliance with all relevant local labour laws and indicates that where local and international standards are at variance the higher standard should prevail. The code does not include a reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The company is formally committed to respecting minimum labour standards in accordance with ILO Core Conventions. These include the right to organise and bargain collectively and prohibit child labour, discrimination, and forced labour. The company does not make the code mandatory for all workplaces where its products are made. Mammut Sports Group AG’s code of conduct does not apply to all workers affected by labour practices for which the company has some measure of responsibility. Beyond the ILO Core Conventions, the company is committed to workers’ right to earn a living wage (i.e. a wage for standard working hours that meets the basic needs of workers and their families and provides some discretionary income). Overtime is stipulated to be occasional only and is paid at a premium rate The company’s code calls for a safe and hygienic environment for the workers who produce its garments and/or sportswear. The company explicitly requires that all workers receive a regular employment contract. Beyond the labour standards mentioned above, the company code is not precise enough on some specific issues. It does not state its commitment in relation to*:
- special provisions for workers under 18 years of age (e.g. education, no night work);
- specific steps to encourage decent working conditions in countries where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law;
- ending the the worst forms of child labour with explicit reference to ILO core-convention 182.
Code implementation and purchasing practices
Mammut Sports Group AG did not indicate the steps it is taking to effectively implement minimum labour standards in its supply chain. The code of conduct is translated into some of the languages of the countries the company is sourcing from. Mammut Sports Group AG agrees to pay a living wage, but does not document its calculations. Mammut Sports Group AG has not shown that it is aware of the fact that part of its production sites are located in countries or zones where freedom of association is not guaranteed by law. Mammut Sports Group AG takes, to some extent, the impact of its own purchasing practices into account. It has established some procedures which show how to improve planning and prevent excessive overtime.
Monitoring and Verification
The company is not a member of any business initiative. There is nothing known to CCC about monitoring results. Mammut Sports Group AG did not provide any information on corrective steps for the remediation of labour rights violations in its supply chain. The company is not involved in independent verification by a multi-stakeholder approach.
Violations of labour rights and public conflicts
There are no public urgent appeals from CCC calling on Mammut Sports Group AG to take responsibility for workers’ rights violations in its supply chain.
Recent developments
After longer preliminary talks, Mammut formally joined the Fair Wear Foundation on October 1st, 2008. Additionally, the company plans to create a position for corporate social responsibility (CSR). These are two important steps in the right direction. However, implementation should come next.