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Pontes Industria – Modern Slavery and Our Position on Workforce Conditions

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Dear [INDIVIDUAL CONTACT TITLE & SURNAME or FIRST NAME ONLY – whichever you consider appropriate],

As you may be aware, a recently published report has raised significant questions about the proliferation of Modern Slavery practices in Brazil’s carnauba Industry.

As Pontes Industria is one of Brazil’s leading carnauba processors and suppliers, and as [NAME OF CONTACT’S COMPANY] is valued highly by us as a customer, I feel it right that I reassure you about our own practices, work, and exemplary track record in this matter.

You will be pleased to hear that in every area of our supply chain and workforce management, Pontes Industria is untainted by practices referred to, or allegations contained in, the report.

We have invested heavily in training and improvement of working conditions for many years, while campaigning extensively to raise awareness of human rights issues in the industry. Eradicating these unacceptable practices calls for partnerships that extend all the way from raw material to recycling. With this in mind, Pontes works to ensure that our own commitment to transparency is matched constantly by that of our suppliers and partners, encouraging collaboration in developing solutions that place the wellbeing, interests and rights of workers at their centre.

This means you can be assured that the integrity and CSR credential of your business are enhanced, rather than in anyway endangered, by your decision to purchase from Pontes.

Pontes Industria. Our record and efforts in combating Modern Slavery.

• Pontes is recognised as the benchmark for social responsibility in the carnauba sector. We have been in the market for more than 60 years, with four generations of our family maintaining the tradition of respecting, caring for and valuing the life of the communities involved in carnauba extraction.
• We guarantee the integrity of the whole production chain, from leaf to wax, for conditions of labour. No other company in the market has the same level of universal quality-control procedure in place.
• We regularly provide suppliers and employees with guidelines on best working practice and legal requirements via our extensive program of training events, field visits (or educational visits), videos and booklets.
• We were the first carnauba wax company to monitor and periodically audit all our suppliers to ensure that all legal norms are being respected and that there is a full transparency of the process for the government.
• To ensure full compliance with legislation throughout the production chain, we require all our suppliers to sign an agreement to comply with the ‘Code of Ethics of Pontes Indústria’, on the the understanding that any company caught in breach of legal norms will be immediately excluded from our supply framework.
• We carry out training on risk prevention in the labor market throughout 100% of our production chain. We address issues such as safety and health, child labor and slave labor.
• We train and raise awareness among workers throughout our supply chain about our own, internal communication channel, as well as government channels, for reporting serious cases of violation.
• Since 2016, we have been working together with the Brazilian Ministry of Labour (MPT), having made a formal commitment to help combat all forms of child and slave labour.
• We are the only carnauba wax manufacturer to hold 13 recognised Standards certifications. These include the UEBT membership certificate and UEBT product certification, both of which align directly with combating modern slavery and promoting worker welfare.

Thank you for helping us protect those who contribute so much to both our businesses.

My family and colleagues will never cease our efforts towards combatting Modern Slavery in our industry, and while we are saddened by inferences in the report that such practices are found throughout the industry, we support the spotlight it shines on malpractice where it does exist.

I thank you again for supporting us, through your custom, in our work to eradicate such practices and improve conditions, healthcare and education for people whose labour directly benefits our business, and through that, your business, too.

If you would like more details about any aspect of our work, or documentation of the standards adhered to throughout our supply chain, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Lara Pontes