Twin City Produce, Springdale is committed to being socially and environmentally responsible, compliant with labor and ethics laws, and continuous improvement in all areas. It is our policy to comply with U.S. import and distribution of produce and food commodities laws, technology use defend against food fraud and improve produce tracking (Farm to Table). Our Labor and Ethics Policy covers Labor, Health and Safety, and the Environment, and our standards relating to Business Ethics.We have maintained these ethics since inception, and publicly posting since 2022.
Labor
We are committed to upholding the human rights of workers, and to treat them with dignity and respect. This applies to all workers including temporary, migrant, student, contract, direct employees, and any other type of worker.
Hiring Process
Job descriptions with employment terms and conditions are available in English and Spanish. All work is voluntary. Employers and agents may not hold or otherwise destroy, conceal, confiscate or deny access by employees to employees’ identity or immigration documents, such as government-issued identification, passports or work permits, unless the holding of work permits is required by law. Twin City Produce, Springdale does not charge hiring fees. Uniforms and any necessary safety equipment outside of work boots are provided to employees free of charge.
Working Hours and Wages and Benefits
Workweeks are not to exceed the maximum set by local law. Workers are allowed at least one day off every seven days. Workers’ paid compensation complies with all applicable wage laws. Workers are compensated for overtime worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times their regular hourly rates. For each pay period, workers are provided with a timely and understandable wage statement to verify accurate compensation for work performed. All use of temporary, dispatch and outsourced labor are within the limits of the local law.
Non-Discrimination
Twin City Produce, Springdale is committed to a workforce free of unlawful discrimination. We do not tolerate discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, identity, ethnicity or national origin, disability, pregnancy, religion, political affiliation, union membership, covered veteran or marital status in hiring and employment practices such as wages, promotions, rewards, and access to training. Workers are provided with reasonable accommodation for religious practices. In addition, workers or potential workers are not subjected to medical tests or physical exams that could be used in a discriminatory way.
Humane Treatment
Twin City Produce, Springdale does not condone any harsh and inhumane treatment including any sexual harassment, abuse, corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion or verbal abuse of workers; nor the threat of any such treatment. Disciplinary policies and are clearly defined and communicated to workers in our Employee Guidelines.
We have expanded our ethics to include Modern Slavery. The act of working without pay to resolve debt. As this practice has been identified in the argiculture industry, we only source from ethical farms and manufacturers.
Young Workers
Twin City Produce, Springdale does not use Child (persons under the age of 14) labor in any stage of business. If employed, Twin City Produce, Springdale provides appropriate support and training to all student workers. In the absence of local law, the wage rate for student workers, interns and apprentices shall be at least the same wage rate as other entry-level workers performing equal or similar tasks.
Freely Chosen Employment
Forced, bonded (including debt bondage) or indentured labor, involuntary prison labor, slavery or trafficking of persons are never used at Twin City Produce, Springdale.
Freedom of Association
In conformance with local law, the Company respects the right of all workers to form and join trade unions, as well as to refrain from such activities. While the Company recognizes the above, there has been no request for any outside representation to date.
Health and Safety
Twin City Produce, Springdale recognizes a safe and healthy work environment enhances the quality of products and services, consistency of storage and delivery and worker retention and morale. The Company also recognizes that ongoing worker input and education is essential to identifying and solving health and safety issues in the workplace.
Occupational Safety, Injury and Illness
Forklifts, hand trucks, delivery trucks, even floor scrubbers, can pose a hazard. Worker exposure to potential safety hazards are controlled through design, administrative controls, preventative maintenance and safe work procedures, and ongoing safety training. Workers are encouraged to raise safety concerns. Further, procedures are in place to oversee and report occupational injury and illness, which encourage worker reporting; and aid in workers successfully returning to work.
Emergency Preparedness
Response to potential emergency situations and events procedures are a part of our Food Safety Contingency Plan including: emergency reporting, employee notification and evacuation procedures, worker training and drills, suppression equipment, adequate exit facilities and recovery plans to minimize harm to life, the environment and property.
Industrial Hygiene
Worker exposure to chemical, biological and physical agents is identified and monitored to control overexposures chemicals. When hazards cannot be adequately controlled by such means, worker health is protected by appropriate personal protective equipment.
Physically Demanding Work
Worker exposure to the hazards of physically demanding tasks, including manual material handling and heavy or repetitive lifting, prolonged standing and highly repetitive or forceful assembly tasks is identified, evaluated and controlled.
Equipment Safeguarding
Equipment routinely evaluated for safety hazards. Physical guards are throughout the warehouse where equipment use may present an injury hazard to interior structure, racks, and/or subsequently workers.
Sanitation, Food, and Housing
Workers are provided with ready access to clean toilet facilities, potable water and sanitary food preparation, storage, and eating facilities. No housing is provided to workers.
Health and Safety Communication
We provide workers with appropriate workplace health and safety training in their primary language. Health and safety related information is clearly posted in the facility.
Environmental
We partner with suppliers whose manufacturing operations, adverse effects on the community, environment and natural resources, are minimized while safeguarding public health and safety.
Environmental Permits and Reporting
All environmental permits regulating storage and distribution, approvals and registrations are obtained, and kept current, with requirements followed where and when required.
Pollution Prevention and Resource Reduction
The use of resources, including water and energy, are reduced by minimal packaging and shipping materials, maintenance and facility processes, conservation, recycling, and re-using materials whenever doing so will not violate food safety regulation, primarily in office operations.
Hazardous Substances
Our chemical use is limited to cleaning and sanitation; and equipment maintenance. All used chemicals are properly disposed of in accordance with their specific guidelines.
Wastewater and Solid Waste
Twin City Produce, Springdale uses locally sourced and managed water from Beaver Lake via the Springdale Water Utilities. Wastewater generated from cleaning and sanitation facilities is minimal and identified, monitored, controlled, and treated as required prior to disposal.
Air Emissions
Air emissions of any volatile organic or ozone depleting chemicals or by-products that could be present and/or generated from operations are identified, routinely monitored, controlled and treated prior to discharge when and where required.
Materials Restrictions
Twin City Produce, Springdale adheres to all applicable laws, regulations and requirements regarding specific substances in products, including labeling for recycling and disposal.
Storm Water Management
The Company prevents illegal discharges and spills from entering storm drains.
Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Company continuously looks for cost effective methods to improve energy efficiency and to minimize its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Ethics
To meet social responsibilities and to achieve success in the marketplace, Twin City Produce, Springdale upholds the highest standards of ethics.
Business Integrity
The highest standards of integrity are upheld in all business interactions. The Company has a zero tolerance policy to prohibit any and all forms of bribery, corruption, extortion and embezzlement. All business dealings are transparently performed. Monitoring and enforcement procedures are implemented to ensure compliance with anti-corruption laws.
No Improper Advantage
Bribes or other means of obtaining undue or improper advantage are not promised, offered, authorized, given or accepted. This prohibition covers promising, offering, authorizing, giving or accepting anything of value, either directly or indirectly through a third party, in order to obtain or retain business, direct business to any person, or otherwise gain an improper advantage.
Disclosure of Information
Information regarding participant labor, health and safety, environmental practices, business activities, structure, financial situation and performance is disclosed in accordance with applicable law and prevailing practices.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property rights are respected; transfer of technology and knowhow is done in a manner that protects intellectual property rights; and, customer information is safeguarded.
Fair Business, Advertising and Competition
Standards of fair business, advertising and competition are upheld. Appropriate means to safeguard customer information is available.
Protection of Identity and Non-Retaliation
Policies that ensure the confidentiality, anonymity and protection of supplier and employee whistleblowers are maintained, unless prohibited by law. Twin City Produce, Springdale has communicated a procedure for personnel to raise any concerns without fear of retaliation.
Privacy
We are committed to the reasonable privacy protection of personal information of everyone business relationship, complying with privacy and information security laws and regulatory requirements regarding collecting, storing, processing/ transmitting personal information.
Management System
Twin City Produce, Springdale ensures compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and customer requirements related to our operations and products; conformance with this Policy; and identification and mitigation of operational risks related to this Policy, to the end that it should also facilitate continual improvement.
Company Commitment & Management Accountability and Responsibility
Having identified senior management and company representatives responsible for ensuring implementation of the management systems and associated programs, Twin City Produce, Springdale demonstrates it is socially and environmentally responsible to regulatory compliance, with regular reviews and amendments to ensure continuous improvement.
Legal and Customer Requirements
Twin City Produce, Springdale has a process to identify, monitor and understand applicable laws, regulations and customer requirements, including the requirements of this Policy.
Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Twin City Produce, Springdale has implemented a process to identify the legal compliance, environmental, health and safety and labor practice and ethics risks associated with its operations. We have in place a method to measure relative risk significance and implementation of appropriate steps to control the identified risks and ensure regulatory compliance is in place.
Improvement Objectives
The Administrative Services Manager, with direct delegation from the CEO, has written objectives, targets and implementation plans to improve our social and environmental performance, including periodic performance assessment in achieving those objectives.
Training & Communication
Programs for workers to implement our policies, procedures, and improvement objectives; and to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements are held on a recurring basis. Communication: A process for communicating clear and accurate information about the Company’s policies, practices, expectations and performance to workers, suppliers and customers in both English and Spanish; printed and digital.
Worker Feedback and Participation
Ongoing processes to assess employees’ understanding of and obtain feedback on practices and conditions covered by this Policy and to foster continuous improvement.
Audits, Assessments
Periodic self-evaluations to ensure conformity to legal and regulatory requirements, Policy content, and customer contractual social and environmental responsibility requirements.
Corrective Action Process
A process for timely correction of deficiencies identified by internal or external assessments, inspections, investigations and reviews.
Documentation and Records
Creation and maintenance of documents and records to ensure regulatory compliance and conformity to company requirements along with appropriate confidentiality to protect privacy.
Supplier Responsibility
A process to communicate Code requirements to suppliers and to monitor supplier compliance to the Policy.
Recognized standards have been used as references in preparing this Policy.
