Manufacturing Ethics Statement, 2021

Cambridge Audio (the brand) specialises in product design and engineering, and like many companies involved with technology, it works with third party factories, and component suppliers, to deliver the finished goods that carry the brand’s name. Outsourced manufacturing is key to the brand’s success and to the value it’s able to offer its customers. Cambridge Audio only works with carefully selected business partners – whose values are compatible with its own. 

Cambridge Audio is as committed to the wellbeing of its suppliers’ workforces, and environmental standards those partners uphold, as it is to its own organisational compliance. 

Cambridge Audio products are designed, engineered, and tested by its own team based in London. This significant in-house resource comprises product designers, mechanical engineers, electronics hardware/software engineers, app designers, packaging designers, user experience champions, quality assurance technicians and, of course, audio experts. The UK team is central to every product that bears the Cambridge Audio brand name; nothing is released without its final sign-off. 

Cambridge Audio’s team in Hong Kong take the detailed designs and engineering specifications from London to specialist factories, who manufacture to the brand’s exacting standards. Most of the brand’s final production takes place in China, although this year new projects are underway elsewhere in Asia too. 

 

Ethical Standards of Partner Factories 

Cambridge Audio carefully monitors the practices of individual business partners, the happiness of their employees and the social/political issues that affect the workforces in those facilities. The brand’s ‘business partners’ are defined as vendors, manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors and others who provide labour and/or materials used to manufacture Cambridge Audio branded products. 

Human Rights 

Cambridge Audio only works with partners who share the brand’s commitment to the human rights of individuals employed across the entire production process. The brand undertakes specific due diligence, with regular visits, to ensure that no partner deviates from Cambridge Audio’s values. No finished goods are made, nor components sourced, from Xinjiang in China. Cambridge Audio only employs partners who ensure they source components from suppliers with sound human rights records. Cambridge Audio will change its supply chain if its values are not upheld. 

Health and Safety 

Cambridge Audio considers a safe and healthy work environment to be a basic human right. That's why the brand will only work with partners who provide safe and healthy work facilities, as well as comfortable residential accommodation when required. Cambridge Audio’s partner audits include regular spot-checks of all manufacturing partners’ facilities. 

Legal Requirements 

Cambridge Audio expects its partners to be law-abiding corporate entities, managed by law-abiding individuals. They must comply with all legal requirements relevant to the conduct of their business. 

Employment Practices 

Cambridge Audio will only do business with partners whose workers are treated fairly, work voluntarily, are fairly compensated, allowed the right of free association and not exploited in any way. 

In addition, each of our business partners must adhere to the following: 

Wages and Benefits

Cambridge Audio's partners must provide wages, and benefits, to their employees, which comply with all applicable laws and prevailing local industry practices. 

Child Labour

Cambridge Audio's partners undertake to never employ children (people under 16 years of age). Furthermore, the brand’s business partners will not knowingly utilise subcontractors, or raw materials suppliers, who permit the use of child labour in any of their facilities.

Cambridge Audio actively supports the development of legitimate workplace apprenticeships and training programmes for the educational benefit of younger people. 

Prisoner & Forced Labour

Cambridge Audio will never knowingly utilise partners who permit the use of prison labour in the manufacture of products used in the brand’s supply chain. Furthermore, partners must not knowingly subcontract, or source raw materials, from those who permit the use of forced labour in their facilities.

‘Forced Labour’ is defined as work, or service, extracted from a person under the threat of penalty for their non-compliance and for which the worker does not offer their labour voluntarily.

Discrimination

Cambridge Audio recognises and respects cultural differences. However, the brand strongly believes that workers are employed based on their skill to do the job, rather than their gender, age, identity, physical ability, racial characteristics, cultural practice or religious belief.

Documentation and Inspection 

Cambridge Audio constantly monitors compliance of these practices. It conducts on-site inspection of facilities without notice. The brand regularly reviews commercial relationships, and will terminate those with any partner found to be in violation of the expected standards.

Environmental Requirements 

Cambridge Audio has always taken a proactive approach to environmental and health issues. All new products adhere to the latest environmental standards issued by governments and international bodies. In many cases, the brand is  among the first to adopt new standards, often before they become law. 

Cambridge Audio only engages with partners who share a commitment to protect the environment. This includes compliance with national laws and international standards. The brand’s stringent compliance processes ensure all products, and business partners, fully comply with latest regulations. 

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances)

The European Union’s RoHS directive restricts the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. There are specific limits on levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. Equivalent standards exist in many other territories. Cambridge Audio welcomes the directive and abides by its strict code.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)

The EU’s WEEE directive encourages the recycling and re-use of components to reduce the amount sent to landfill. Brands are responsible for funding collection, treatment and recovery of waste electrical equipment. Distributors are encouraged to allow consumers to return waste equipment free of charge, which Cambridge Audio fully supports.


Cambridge Audio welcomes your feedback

Thank you for taking time to read this.

Should you have any comments, please contact Cambridge Audio using the ‘Support’ link at the bottom of this webpage. All feedback is reviewed regularly by the Senior Management team. When an idea makes sense, it will put it in place. Cambridge Audio is big enough to make a difference, but small enough to be able to take swift action to improve processes.

 
Cambridge Audio, June 2021