For Suppliers
Overview
Since 1908, Briggs & Stratton has provided reliable products that enhance the quality of life to its customers. As Briggs & Stratton enters into its second century, we will continue to create value for all of our stakeholders, customers, employees, dealers, suppliers and communities. We reaffirm our commitment to our core values of integrity, quality, innovative products, community involvement and environmental stewardship.
Briggs & Stratton’s commitment to integrity and social responsibility includes its subsidiary companies and extends to its diverse and worldwide supply base. To ensure that suppliers conduct business with a high degree of integrity and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, each Briggs & Stratton’s supplier is required to adhere to this Supplier Code of Conduct.
Conflict Mineral Policy
Briggs & Stratton is committed to sourcing parts, components and materials from suppliers that conduct business with a high degree of integrity and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Among other requirements, our suppliers must adhere to our Supplier Code of Conduct and all applicable laws, regulations and standards.
On August 22, 2012 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved a ruler under section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requiring public companies to report annually on the presence in their products of tun, tungsten, tantalum or gold ("conflict minerals") originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or adjoining countries.
Briggs & Stratton is committed to complying with the requirements of the SEC rule and will assist our customers in implementing their conflict minerals program. Accordingly, we require our suppliers to provide us with completed conflict minerals declarations, and we stop doing business with any supplier that fails to comply with this policy.
Supplier Responsibilities
Each supplier shall do what is necessary to immediately comply with this code. Each supplier shall also be familiar with the business practices of its contractors and subcontractors and insure they comply with this code.
Key Obligations
Gifts and Gratuities
Briggs & Stratton discourages all suppliers from providing any gift or gratuity to any of our employees. We have a policy concerning supplier relationships that applies to all our employees. This policy prohibits employees from receiving cash from any supplier and places strict limits on their receipt of promotional items, personal gifts and entertainment.
Improper Payments
Briggs & Stratton conducts business with integrity and within the bounds of the law. No Briggs & Stratton employee is permitted directly or indirectly to pay or receive anything of value intended to influence a decision by Briggs & Stratton or a vendor, supplier, subcontractor, competitor, governmental official or their representatives. Briggs & Stratton further prohibits its employees from engaging in any activity that creates the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Child Labor
Briggs & Stratton does not employ child labor. All suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors must comply with applicable local child labor laws and employ only workers who meet the applicable minimum legal age requirement for their location. Examples include local laws that prohibit employment under the age of completion of compulsory education or under the minimum age for employment in the country of manufacture.
Forced Labor and Human Trafficking
Briggs & Stratton will not employ forced or involuntary labor. Suppliers and their contractors and subcontractors must comply with local laws prohibiting forced or involuntary labor, slavery, and human trafficking in any form. Please read more regarding the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB 657) and UK Modern Slavery Act.
Compensation and Working Hours
Briggs & Stratton pays employees a competitive wage. Suppliers and their contractors and subcontractors shall compensate their workers by providing wages, including overtime pay and benefits that comply with the applicable laws and regulations.
Nondiscrimination
Briggs & Stratton supports diversity and equal opportunity in employment. Unlawful discrimination in the workplace is not acceptable under any circumstance. Suppliers and their contractors and subcontractors must comply with all applicable local laws concerning nondiscrimination in hiring and employment practices.
Environment
Briggs & Stratton is committed to practices that will ensure a better environment and conducts its operations in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers and their contractors and subcontractors are expected to conduct their operations in an environmentally safe manner and to comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations in the countries in which they operate.
Conflict Minerals
Briggs & Stratton is committed to complying with the laws and regulations requiring disclosure of the use of conflict minerals. Suppliers must provide us with completed conflict minerals declarations annually, and cooperate with any other due diligence that may be necessary in connection with our compliance efforts. See our Conflict Minerals Policy for more information.
Health and Safety
Briggs & Stratton conducts its operations in compliance with applicable health and safety laws and regulations. Suppliers and their contractors and subcontractors are expected to provide a safe, healthy and productive working environment that supports accident prevention and minimizes exposure to health risks. Suppliers and their contractors and subcontractors must comply with all applicable health and safety laws and regulations in the countries in which they operate.
Confidential Information
Briggs & Stratton is committed to complying with applicable laws concerning proprietary, confidential and personal information. Suppliers and their contractors and subcontractors are required to comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing the protection, use and disclosure of Briggs & Stratton proprietary, confidential and personal information.
Affirmative Measures
Briggs & Stratton will undertake affirmative measures, such as announced and unannounced on-site audits of production factories, to monitor compliance with the Supplier Code of Conduct. Suppliers must maintain on site all documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with the Supplier Code of Conduct and suppliers must allow representatives of Briggs & Stratton full access to production facilities, worker records, production records, environmental permits, C-TPAT activities, and workers for confidential interviews in connection with monitoring visits. Suppliers are expected to take necessary corrective actions to promptly remediate any noncompliance. Suppliers are required to use only those input materials and components which are obtained from permissible sources in compliance with U.S. and international law. Suppliers are required to have sufficient knowledge and documentation to validate compliance. Briggs & Stratton reserves the right to terminate its business relationship with any supplier who does not cooperate with these measures.
Compliance with Applicable Laws
Briggs & Stratton is committed to compliance with U.S. and international law. Each supplier warrants that it shall comply with all applicable laws of the U.S. and the supplier’s country, including without limitation laws that prohibit bribery and restrict the import, export and transfer to third countries of certain categories of data, technical assistance and products.
Non-Compliance Reporting
Violations of the Briggs & Stratton Supplier Code of Conduct should be reported using one of the following confidential options:
Telephone:
1-888-732-1411 (U.S. and Canada only)
Post Office:
Compliance Hotline Committee
3300 N 124 Street
Wauwatosa, WI 53222-3106 USA
Legal Effect
This code is part of the Briggs & Stratton Supplier Manual. The responsibilities and obligations stated in this code are contract obligations of the supplier. Any non-compliance with this code by a supplier or any of its contractors or subcontractors who perform work related to the contract between Briggs & Stratton and the supplier will be considered a breach of the supplier’s contract with Briggs & Stratton and may lead to suspension or termination of the contract.
Please Note: The code may be updated and revised from time to time.
Supplier Code of Conduct (English)
Supplier Code of Conduct (Chinese)
