We promote these objectives within our supply chain by working with suppliers to discuss these issues and requiring that suppliers accept responsibility for their labor practices. PM USA’s contracts with suppliers require them to abide by our Child and Forced Labor Policy.
PM USA requires third-party audits of suppliers providing packaging and product materials who operate in certain high-risk regions. We also require third-party audits of international factories that produce custom consumer incentive items.
In addition, we use third-party firms to conduct audits of the overseas processing facilities of our tobacco suppliers.
These audits align with the
Social Accountability 8000 standard. Although they focus on child and forced labor, they often address other workplace practices, such as worker compensation, workplace safety, worker registration, management of employee records and environmental practices.
PM USA is a member of the Geneva-based ECLT (Eliminating Child Labor in Tobacco) Foundation. The ECLT brings together businesses, growers and labor representatives for the purpose of ending the inappropriate use of child labor in tobacco growing.
The ECLT Foundation focuses on:
- developing independent research to produce an objective picture of the level of inappropriate child labor in tobacco growing;
- supporting and funding local and community-based projects; and
- establishing and sharing best practices and lessons learned.
