Commitment
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (“A&F Co.”) through its subsidiaries (collectively, A&F Co. and its subsidiaries are referred to as the “Company” and “we”), is proud of our commitment to global human and labor rights, and to ensure that our products are only made in safe and responsible facilities. We partner with suppliers who respect local laws and share our dedication to utilizing the best practices in human rights, labor rights and workplace safety. A&F Co. believes that business should only be conducted with honesty and respect for the dignity and rights of all people, including women, children and minority groups.
Our Human Rights Policy reflects A&F Co.’s commitment to the International Labor Organization (“ILO”)’s Core Conventions, including the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the United Nation’s (“UN”) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, and UK Modern Slavery Act 2015. Supporting these initiatives emphasizes our adherence to best practices and provides guidance as a universal standard for enforcing strong human rights initiative throughout our business, such as the freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, and the right of all individuals not to be subject to forced labor, child labor, or discrimination. Our Human Rights Policy applies to all activity affiliated with A&F Co., including but not limited to third-party vendors, partners, and suppliers around the world.
Code of Business Conduct & Ethics
We are dedicated to acting with integrity and honesty. Our Code exists to support those commitments by giving us the guidance and resources to ensure we are acting ethically at all times. Our Code has been adopted by our Board of Directors and Management and reflects the importance that we place on ethical conduct. Acting with integrity and honesty will ensure that we meet our high standards and enhance our ethical culture.
Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Vendor Code of Conduct clearly outline our ethics expectations for our associates at all levels in our offices and stores, as well as our business partners throughout the supply chain. We maintain several channels for our associates to report any unethical behavior or suspected misconduct.
Everyone at A&F Co.—all associates, managers, officers, and directors worldwide, or any person given access to confidential and proprietary information—is responsible for following the Code, regardless of seniority or title. We train associates on our Code when hired and are required to annually affirm that they will comply with the Code and have no knowledge of any violation or suspected violation of the Code. Our code covers topics such as human rights training, anti-corruption and anti-bribery, and fraud. We also expect our suppliers and other business partners to acknowledge and align with the principles of our Code when doing business with A&F Co.
Ethics Reporting Mechanisms
Adhering to the Code and reporting observed misconduct are both critical to protecting our culture and our brands. Associates are encouraged to raise issues, concerns, and questions as soon as possible so that they may be investigated and resolved quickly. A&F Co. offers a confidential reporting system as part of its Speak Up culture so anyone may file an anonymous report with questions or suspected violations of the Code in one of three ways:
- Online at www.abercrombie-ethics.com
- By phone at 1-800-965-1892 for the US (local international numbers are available)
Emailing the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (CECO) directly at CECO@anfcorp.com
Vendor Code of Conduct
Our Vendor Code of Conduct ensures that our Supply Chain Partners operate in a manner which is aligned with A&F Co.’s principles and values, as reflected in A&F Co.’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. We require all vendors, suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors and their agents (collectively, “Vendors”) to operate in full compliance with the laws of their respective countries and with all other applicable laws, rules and regulations, including those enumerated by contract as well as the standards below.
While A&F Co. does not own the factories producing our products, we do require all factories with whom we work with to follow the standards set forth in our Vendor Code of Conduct. If production is found in unauthorized factories and/or subcontracted factories, this will result in financial and other penalties. A full version of our Vendor Code of Conduct can be found here.
Supply Chain Capacity Building
As a global company with operations around the world, A&F Co. continuously takes steps to combat human trafficking and forced labor in our supply chains. Our commitment includes providing training internally to all employees who are directly involved in our supply chains and externally to our vendors so they are able to identify the signs of human trafficking and forced labor. We partner with the LRNCatalyst to train A&F associates on their role to identify and manage human trafficking and forced labor risks.
Every factory we work with is required to follow the standards set forth in our Vendor Code of Conduct. We conduct third party audits prior to any new production and on an annual basis, as appropriate, to ensure Vendor Code compliance. Vendors must submit a Corrective Action Plan (“CAP”) within 30 days that identifies specific actions to address any non-compliance audit findings. A&F Co. works with the Vendor to monitor progress, facilitate improvements, and provide support, as needed. If factories earn an A on their audit, we reevaluate them every other year. Scores B-D are audited annually, and factories with an F are tasked with more specific action items.
Our Social Impact includes distinct programs aimed at providing a positive impact throughout our supply chain, which aim to improve the lives of those working in our supply chain, specifically women and girls. To learn more about our initiatives, please visit https://corporate.abercrombie.com/af-cares/sustainability.
Inclusion & Diversity
At Abercrombie & Fitch Co., we work to ensure that our customers and associates feel respected and represented. We know when we are inclusive and embrace diversity in all forms, we can build a stronger sense of community across every aspect of our business.
We strive to create an inclusive culture of representation across all aspects of our business through partnerships, activations and awareness initiatives. A&F Co. offers our associates learning and development opportunities to expand I&D knowledge and put it into action. We are committed to the ongoing development and expansion of education and training to continually support our associates’ journeys. Our product teams create capsule collections in collaboration with our Associate Resource Groups (ARGs) and impact partners, generating funding to enable change and awareness for underrepresented and under-resourced communities.
Associate Resource Groups (ARGs) are employee-led initiatives that foster a culture of inclusion and belonging. Sponsored by an A&F Co. executive, we offer a variety of ARGs led by subcommittee leaders and co-chairs that collaborate to develop activities and materials focused on allyship, community, celebration and education. Through collaboration and action, these initiatives support our associates’ personal and collective allyship journeys, improving awareness, deepening connection and understanding.
Giving Back
A&F Co. invests in a strategic portfolio of community partners that support and empower each generation on their journey to being and becoming who they are. Led by purpose, we are focused on building long lasting, multi-faceted partnerships that allow us to positively impact our global community and connect with our associates and customers.
Our customers are agents of change. We aim to constantly engage and connect with our customers across our family of brands through continued listening, always evolving to support causes and partners that are most important to them.
Driven by purpose and partnerships, we team up with our customers, associates and global communities to be a collective force for good. The results are long-term and layered investments that empower youth, teens and young adults around the world.
Governance
At A&F Co., we believe that honesty, integrity and respect are integral to meeting and exceeding the expectations of our many different stakeholders, including our associates, customers and stockholders. The concept of doing the right thing, no matter what, is embedded into the values that we all strive to fulfill throughout all our work: Commitment to Quality, Authentic Goodness and Always Forward.
We will review our Human Rights Policy to accurately reflect our operations regarding our practices throughout the supply chain and within our organization. Factory compliance with the Vendor Code of Conduct is enforced through our audit program. Our Policy consists of information reviewed and enforced by our Board level ESG Committee, Sustainability VP, and Legal department. We share this Policy and proactively engage with our associates in our offices and stores, as well as any relevant third parties. By regularly updating and sharing this Policy, we remain aligned to our core value of acting ethically in our own operations and throughout our value chain.