Company profile: Cassis
Headquarters: Wauthier Braine
Country: Belgium
Founded in: 1992
Total points of sale in Europe: 51 Cassis shops and 34 Paprika shops
Owned by: Minska, Sofindev, Jacques Hayez, management
Name of CEO: Jacques Hayez
Product description: Women’s garments. Paprika shops specialise in large sizes.
Producer countries: n.a.
General remarks: n.a.
Cassis
Ilca Garcia
Parc Industriel, 9 1440 Wauthier-Braine
cassis(at)cassis.be
Comments from CCC and proposals for action
First contact was made by email on 24 July 2007 with the management. At the end of August 2007, we were transferred to the communication officer who promised to follow up but still did not answer the questionnaire. The CCC met with Cassis in June 2008. High level representatives (chief executive officer, buying department managers of Cassis and Paprika and communications officer) took part in this meeting. During the meeting, Cassis emphasized its interest in addressing social responsibility issues through purchasing practices rather than labelling and certification. It was envisaged that Cassis would answer the section of the CCC questionnaire relating to purchasing practices but no answer to these questions has been received by September 2008.
For the CCC, the company should commit to a more comprehensive and coherent approach concerning the respect of the workers rights in its supplying network and could improve transparency in this matter, notably in becoming a member of a credible multistakeholder initiative such as the Fair Wear Foundation.
Due to the company’s lack of response to the CCC questionnaire, the following evaluation of its corporate accountability policy is based on a desk study conducted by the CCC in 2007. It was then amended using information provided by the company. In the section “Recent developments” you can find additional information gathered after 2007.
Transparency
Cassis has not responded to the CCC questionnaire. Some information is disclosed about turnover and profits. The salaries of top management are not known. The information given to the CCC about producer countries and the structure of the supply chain is not comprehensive. There is no comprehensive sustainability report available. Cassis 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
The company’s website does refer to some commitments regarding CSR, notably the obligation its suppliers are under to register all workers under producer countries’ social security schemes, not to use informal labour, whether directly or indirectly and to respect legislation regarding the production of wage slips and the official registration of workers. No mention is made of other minimum labour standards in workplaces where the company’s products are made or of the local labour laws of producer countries. Cassis has not adopted a code of conduct.
Code implementation and purchasing practices
Cassis did not indicate the steps it is taking to effectively implement minimum labour standards in its supply chain. There is no evidence that the company holds training on labour rights issues. There is no evidence that Cassis intends to implement the payment of living wages to workers in its supply chain. Cassis 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. The CCC is not aware of any provisions to give buyers positive incentives to reward better working conditions or of any measures that show how to improve planning and prevent excessive overtime.
Monitoring and Verification
Nothing is known to the CCC about the company’s monitoring activities and their outcomes. The company is not a member of any multi-stakeholder initiative.
Violations of labour rights and public conflicts
There are no CCC public urgent appeals calling on Cassis to take responsibility for workers’ rights violations in its supply chain.
Recent developments
n.a.