Ethical Trading Policy

Bradstone (Aggregate Industries)

The name responsible for making your decision easier.  As part of Aggregate Industries, Bradstone is at the forefront of developments to increase the sustainability of garden landscaping materials.  This journey commenced a decade ago, when the company took the decision to focus on and invest in developing sustainable solutions across our comprehensive range of innovative building products.  

What does this mean to you? Well, with this unique status, you can have absolute confidence that thier products have been responsibly sourced and that you′re getting the construction industry′s most sustainable and future proof solutions. 

Ethical trading policy

When you see the ethical trading logo in thier brochure its your assurance that Bradstone is working harder than ever to fulfil it ethical obligations when trading with other nations and to comply with local laws and internationally recognised standards.

Source: www.aggregate.com

Stonemarket

Ethically sourced stone is at the forefront of the Stonemarket agenda. However many suppliers importing Indian natural sandstone are not engaged in auditing how their stone is produced. However, Stonemarket understands that regulation and auditing are essential to ensure international governance and ethical trading with developing countries.

Ethical Trading Initiative

As a socially responsible business, all of our natural stone products are from ethical sources, independently audited through our parent company′s membership of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI).Through this, we are committed to progressively improving conditions in our suppliers' work places and to improving the lives of workers who make our products. We are committed to adopting the ETI Base Code, a widely accepted model code of practice which has the following principles:

• No-one should be forced to work
• Workers are free to join and form trade unions and bargin with management
• Working conditions are safe and hygienic
• Child labour shall not be used
• Living wages are paid
• Working hours are not excessive
• No discrimination is practised
• Regular employment is provided
• No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed

Stonemarket Ethical Partners

Stonemarket has teamed up with a number of our Stockists to create the Ethical Partner Scheme. Stonemarket only import ethically sourced natural stone that uses no child labour and where workers are paid living wages and have proper health and safety equipment.

Stonemarket′s Ethical Partners have pledged to stock only Stonemarket ethically sourced stone imported stone so that you, our customers, can be absolutely sure that you will be buying stone that has been ethically manufactured. All Stonemarket Ethical Partners can be identified by the Ethical Partner logo on the stockist search facility on this website. They will also have posters and signs displayed in their yards to highlight details of their membership. To be completely reassured that the Stone you are purchasing is free from child labour, buy Stonemarket natural stone ideally from a Stonemarket Ethical Partner.

In India, Stonemarket only buys sandstone from Stone Shippers India, which in addition to the ETI base code compliance, is certified by AQSR not to source any raw materials from quarries employing child labour. We will continue to undertake regular auditing to ensure that the highest standards are maintained at all times.

Source: https://www.stonemarket.co.uk/about-stonemarket/our-ethics

Natural Paving

As the UK’s leading independent supplier of natural stone, we take our corporate duty of care seriously and are constantly looking at ways to improve the sustainability of our operation and environment.

Sustainable and reliable

We pride ourselves on offering our customers sustainable products. As they are all natural, our products are truly organic and have not been ‘manufactured’ in the way that concrete equivalent products are. Natural stone is selfregenerating with an enduring life – cycle and the natural stone products we create are recyclable and can be used as reclaimed paving and/or crushed and used for aggregates.

We strive to ensure and develop activities that are sustainable and safe for employees and all others who come into contact with our business. One of our priority targets for 2014/15 is to reduce our waste transportation and drive efficiencies into the production process of our quarries in India, which is being achieved with the introduction of our new factory.

Quality marks you can trust

Following an extensive and rigorous testing process in 2013, the complete Natural Paving range of flagstones, block paving, walling and accessories is fully accredited with CE Marking. Declarations of Performance (DOPs) are available on our website to download.

The tests were completed as part of the transition to the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR), which came into force on 1st July 2013 and requires that all products covered by a Harmonised European Standard (hEN) or European Technical Assessment (ETA) carry CE Marks to state their performance characteristics. Test data information can be found on our product labels.

We have also recently been awarded certifications for OHSAS 18001 - Occupational Health and Safety Management and ISO 14001 - Environmental Management.

Since establishing our Indian manufacturing and processing facilities we have invested significant amounts of time, money and resource, working hard to ensure that all of our workers enjoy the best possible living and working conditions. We have just opened a new processing facility in India that is creating more jobs for the local economy, improving efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of our operations.

We are proud to be a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a leading alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs that promotes respect for workers’ rights around the globe. We are committed to the ETI’s 9 point base code of conduct (which covers no child labour, fair wages and safe working conditions) and to upholding these standards when quarrying, manufacturing and sourcing our stone. Our company ethos is that we believe in our employees, both in the UK and overseas and try to ensure a good, s