Our ethical sourcing policy means that everyone at left-handesign® is aware of the importance of sourcing materials and products that are safe, environmentally-friendly and manufactured under ethical working conditions. Every department has its share of responsibility to ensure that we design our products with circularity in mind, find the best materials and select manufacturers that are aligned with our values.

Our design team is trained to create products aligned to a circular economy, based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. Our raw materials are selected very carefully to ensure they are quickly renewable and have a lesser impact on the planet than other finite resources. We lean on industry tools and standards such as Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to investigate the effects of a range of materials on the environment and choose the best options.

We use materials certified by independent third-party auditors which require responsible sourcing from controlled sources and full traceability. Certifications demonstrate a commitment to quality, safety and sustainability by standing up to regulated, robust standards.

To maintain and improve our high standards, we have leveraged programs to formalise our sourcing and design policies, which are now implemented across the whole business. We have also designed a supplier scorecard system and a code of conduct to ensure our supplier selection process is rigorous and standardised

Manufacturing partner requirements:

• Meet stringent quality, social and environmental standards
• Regular audits by third-party auditors against widely recognised social criteria (SMETA)
• Follow our Code of Conduct
• Take part in our Ethical Audit Program
  
  
  
  

We are committed to working closely with our supply partners to achieve stronger education and full implementation of social and environmental best practices, researching ways to improve and innovate. For instance, we are advocating to maximise the use of renewable energy sources in the production and warehousing processes while minimising waste outputs. Our ultimate goal is to achieve ISO1400 certification for 100 per cent of our manufacturing facilities by 2025 and have 10% of our products manufactured using renewable energy.

We have worked with the majority of our manufacturing partners for over 5 years and have helped each other improve on quality while ramping up capacity steadily.