Ethical Trading Statement
British Bakels endorses and is committed to ethical trading and adheres to the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code. The company’s commitment is communicated throughout the company via the Managing Director and Senior Management team.
The Managing Director is responsible for the implementation of compliance with the code and will ensure human and financial resources are made available.
Bakels are registered with SEDEX – our group membership number is ZC1061166, British Bakels site number is ZS1074400
British Bakels will only deal with suppliers who are aware of the code and are committed to the standards of the code.
Signed 
Date 25/01/2026
James Cawthorne
Managing Director
Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code
1. Employment Is Freely Chosen
1.1 There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
1.2 Workers are not required to lodge “deposits” or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employment after reasonable notice.
2. Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining Are Respected
2.1 Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.
2.2 The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities.
2.3 Workers’ representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.
2.4 Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.
3. Working Conditions Are Safe and Hygienic
3.1 A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimizing, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.
3.2 Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
3.3 Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.
3.4 Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.
3.5 The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.
4. Child Labour Shall Not Be Used
4.1 There shall be no new recruitment of child labour.
4.2 Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable them to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child.
4.3 Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.
4.4 These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards.
5. Living Wages Are Paid
5.1 Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.
5.2 All workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid.
5.3 Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted, nor shall any deductions not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.
6. Working Hours Are Not Excessive
6.1 Working hours must comply with national laws, collective agreements, and the provisions below, whichever affords the greater protection for workers.
6.2 Working hours, excluding overtime, shall be defined by contract and shall not exceed 48 hours per week.
6.3 All overtime shall be voluntary and used responsibly. Overtime shall not replace regular employment and shall always be compensated at a premium rate, recommended to be not less than 125% of the regular rate of pay.
6.4 Total hours worked in any 7-day period shall not exceed 60 hours, except in exceptional circumstances.
6.5 Working hours may exceed 60 hours in any 7-day period only where all of the following apply:
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Allowed by national law
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Allowed by a collective agreement
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Appropriate safeguards protect worker health and safety
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Exceptional circumstances apply (e.g. production peaks, accidents, emergencies)
6.6 Workers shall be provided with at least one day off in every 7-day period or, where allowed by law, two days off in every 14-day period.
7. No Discrimination Is Practised
7.1 There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
8. Regular Employment Is Provided
8.1 Work performed shall be based on a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.
8.2 Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws shall not be avoided through labour-only contracting, sub-contracting, home-working arrangements, sham apprenticeships, or excessive use of fixed-term contracts.
9. No Harsh or Inhumane Treatment Is Allowed
9.1 Physical abuse or discipline, threats of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment, verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation are prohibited.
The provisions of this code constitute minimum standards and should not prevent companies from exceeding them. Where national law and this code address the same subject, the provision affording the greater protection shall apply.
10. Entitlement to Work
10.1 Only workers with a legal right to work in the country are employed.
10.2 Original documents are reviewed and returned to workers to verify their right to work.
11. Labour Agencies
11.1 Labour agencies only supply workers registered with them.
11.2 Relationships with labour agencies are covered by a Service Level Agreement that meets national legal requirements.
11.3 Labour agencies are audited every six months to ensure compliance.
12. Human Rights
12.1 Bakels Ltd commits to protecting human rights in the workplace as documented in the Human Rights Act 1998.
13. Modern Slavery Act 2015
13.1 No forced or slave labour is accepted either at Bakels or within our supply chain.
13.2 Human trafficking is not permitted either at Bakels or within our supply chain.
13.3 All employees are freely employed and not exploited in any way as defined within Section 3 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
13.4 All suppliers to British Bakels are required to be registered with SEDEX or complete an ethical questionnaire based on the ETI Base Code.
13.5 A copy of our Modern Slavery statement is available here.
