Supplier Code of Conduct

Maker’s Pride expects its suppliers to conduct business responsibly, with integrity, honesty, and transparency, and to adhere to the following principles:

1. Maintain awareness and comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the countries in which they operate.
2. Compete fairly for Maker’s Pride’s business, without paying bribes, kickbacks or giving anything of value to secure an improper advantage.
   Maker’s Pride is committed to conducting business legally and ethically within the framework of a free enterprise system. Corrupt arrangements with customers, suppliers, government officials, or other third parties are strictly prohibited. “Corruption” generally refers to obtaining, or attempting to obtain, a personal benefit or business advantage through improper or illegal means.
3. Encourage a diverse workforce and provide a workplace free from discrimination, harassment or any other abuse.
   Maker’s Pride suppliers shall create a work environment in which employees and business partners feel valued and respected for their contributions. Harassment, including unwelcome verbal, visual, physical, or other conduct of any kind that creates an intimidating, offensive or hostile work environment will not be tolerated. Employment decisions must be based on qualifications, skills, performance, and experience.
4. Treat employees fairly.
   Maker’s Pride suppliers shall comply with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements and will generally apply sound practices regarding employee relations. Working hours, wages and benefits will be consistent with laws and industry standards, including those pertaining to minimum wages, overtime, other elements of compensation and legally mandated benefits.
   
5. Prohibit all forms of forced or compulsory labor.
   Maker’s Pride suppliers shall maintain and promote fundamental human rights. Employment decisions will be based on free choice and there will be no coerced or prison labor, and no use of physical punishment or threats of violence or other forms of physical, sexual, psychological or verbal abuse as a method of discipline or control.
6. Prohibit use of Child Labor, Undocumented Labor and Human Trafficking
   Suppliers shall adhere to the minimum employment age limit defined by national law or regulation, and comply with relevant International Labor Organization (ILO) standards. In no instance shall a supplier permit children to perform work that exposes them to undue physical risks that can harm physical, mental or emotional development or improperly interfere with their schooling needs.
   Suppliers must not employ any workers who do not have the right to work, including illegal immigrants. Upon request, Suppliers must provide certification of documentation compliance.
7. Respect employees’ right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, consistent with applicable laws.
   Consistent with applicable law, Maker’s Pride suppliers shall respect employees’ rights to join or refrain from joining associations and workers organizations. Suppliers must provide a workplace for employees to act freely and without fear of retaliation.
8. Provide safe and healthy working conditions
   Maker’s Pride suppliers shall proactively manage health and safety risks to provide an incident free environment where occupational injuries and illnesses are prevented. Suppliers must implement management systems and controls that identify hazards and access and control risk related to their specific industry. Suppliers shall provide fire exits and essential fire safety equipment, emergency aid kits and access to emergency response including environmental, fire and medical services.
9. Carry out operations with care for the environment and comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations.
   The potential environmental impact of daily business decisions should be considered along with opportunities for conservation of natural resources, recycling, source reduction and pollution control to ensure cleaner air, cleaner water and to reduce landfill wastes.
10. Maintain accurate financial books and business records in accordance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements and accepted accounting practices. Suppliers must follow all pertinent data privacy laws and regulations and have the appropriate protections in place.
11. Deliver products and services meeting applicable quality and food safety standards.
    Maker’s Pride is committed to producing high quality and safe products across all of our platforms on behalf of our customers and the brands they entrust to us. Suppliers involved in any aspect of developing, handling, packaging or storing our products are expected to:
    • Know and comply with the product quality standards, policies, specifications and procedures that apply to the products produced at your locations.
    • Follow and adhere to good manufacturing practices and testing protocols.
    • Comply with all applicable federal, state and local food safety laws and regulations.
    • Report issues immediately to Maker’s Pride that could negatively affect the quality or public perception of Maker’s Pride products or the products of our customers.
12. Support compliance with the supplier Code by establishing appropriate management processes and cooperating with reasonable assessment processes requested by Maker’s Pride and/or Maker’s Pride’s customers.
    To conduct business with Maker’s Pride, suppliers must enter into contracts and execute purchase orders that mandate compliance with the supplier Code. With prior notice, Maker’s Pride may conduct reasonable audits to verify supplier’s compliance with the supplier Code.
13. Observe Maker’s Pride’s policies prohibiting gifts, entertainment and conflicts of interests when dealing with Maker’s Pride employees.
    Maker’s Pride suppliers are prohibited from providing or offering gifts to Maker’s Pride employees that could inappropriately influence Maker’s Pride’s business decisions or gain an unfair advantage.
14. Report suspected violations of the Code.
    Suppliers’ employees or contractors may report suspected violations of this Code to Maker’s Pride. Violations should immediately be reported to our third-party compliance website (EthicsPoint) or call our hotline (United States: 1-855-233-8092 or Canada: 1-855-350-9393), which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Reporters may choose to be anonymous.
15. Women’s Rights
    Suppliers will ensure women workers receive equal treatment in all aspects of employment. Pregnancy tests will not be a condition of employment and pregnancy testing – to the extent provided – will be voluntary and the option of the worker. In addition, workers will not be forced to use contraception.
16. Small and diverse-owned businesses
    Maker’s Pride understands the value of small and diverse-owned businesses and their role in a healthy economy. Large suppliers must maintain existing or implement small/diverse business plans with goals for continuous improvement. Each supplier will need to establish a baseline of current spend within these areas, and then identify ways to improve each year as part of the company’s Supplier Diversity Program.
17. Freedom of Association and Collective BargainingSuppliers must recognize and respect any rights of workers to exercise lawful rights of free association, including joining or not joining any association. Suppliers also must respect any legal right of workers to bargain collectively. Suppliers must provide a workplace for employees to act freely and without fear of retaliation. 
    
18. California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010
    Refer to the attached letter dated September 6, 2022 attesting to Maker’s Pride’s compliance with California’s Transparency in Supply Chain Act of 2010.
19. International Purchases
    Maker’s Pride is committed to complying with all customs, trade and export laws. Suppliers are expected to abide by and comply with all applicable export and import laws and regulations when transferring goods, services, software or technology within your country or across national boundaries; comply with national and international sanctions and embargoes; and make sure that all duties, levies and tax obligations are duly satisfied. Export controls and economic sanctions regulate when, where, and to whom we can sell, give, or otherwise transfer our products, services or technical data.
20. Termination.
    Failure to comply with this Code, or a violation of applicable international laws, can result in loss or termination of business upon written notice from Maker’s Pride.