Company profile: PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co AG
Headquarters: Urdorf
Country: Switzerland
Founded in: 1881
Total points of sale in Europe: 61
Owned by: Ph. O. Burger
Name of CEO: Ph. O. Burger
Product description: Damen und Herrenbekleidung
Countries of production: Production countries are not known
General remark: n.a.
PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co AG
Ph. Olivier Burger
In der Luberzen 19 8010 Zürich Postfach 8010 Zürich
gordana.tomljenovic(at)pkz.ch
Comment from CCC and proposals for action
For its own brand, PKZ places emphasis on the risk-oriented business initiative BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) where maintaining the company’s reputation is at the forefront. The BSCI alone is not a sufficient instrument to solve the central problems of the workers in the textile chain. The BSCI admits that their approach to auditing companies often does not uncover more "subtle" offences such as the freedom of assembly. Nevertheless, PKZ does not allow its factories to be verified by an independent, and therefore credible, multi-stakeholder initiative (MSI). In 2007, the BSCI conducted three audits. Direct contact exists only for a few producers; rather the majority of contacts are made through brand-suppliers and agents.
Take action: Mention to those at PKZ your misgivings about the BSCI membership and express your desire for independently-certified standards. At each of its branches ask for products from fair trade and organic 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
PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co 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. The information given about producer countries and the structure of the supply chain is not comprehensive. There is no sustainability report available. PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co 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
PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co AG has adopted a code of conduct that includes a reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and requires compliances with all relevant local labour laws. The code also indicates that where local and international standards are at variance the higher standard should prevail. 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. PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co 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 wage for standard working hours that meets the basic needs of workers and their families but does not provide a discretionary income. It is therefore not a living wage. 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 does not explicitly require 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*:
- guaranteeing a living wage during regular working hours without overtime.
Code implementation and purchasing practices
PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co 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; every buying contract states the obligation for the supplier to comply with the code. According to the information given PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co AG has no intention to implement the payment of living wages to workers. PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co 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. There are no provisions to give buyers positive incentives to reward better working conditions.
Monitoring and Verification
As a member of BSCI, the company has audited 3 (2007) suppliers within one year. 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 PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co AG to take responsibility for workers’ rights violations in its supply chain.
Recent developments
For fall 2008 PKZ brought the label "Kuyichi" into its assortment and the jeans are made of organic cotton. For PKZ’s own label, additional products made of organic and fair trade cotton are missing.