Corporate social responsibility - our sustainable brand manifesto
Corporate social responsibility – CSR
This manifesto defines the activities of Z Kopytem sp. z o.o. in four areas of responsibility: social, economic, environmental and internal organisational responsibility. It is based on the ISO 26000 standard.
The Company confirms that the information presented below concerning its business activities is true and accurate.
Compliance with laws and regulations
The Company operates in strict compliance with the law and makes every effort to ensure that all employees and business partners act in accordance with applicable regulations in every context and in all activities.
Behavioural integrity
The Company is committed to providing high-quality services and operating on the market in accordance with the principles of fair competition and transparency. It maintains proper relations with public, governmental and administrative institutions, citizens and external entities.
Increasing investment in sustainable development
The Company makes every effort to ensure that its results, including its economic and financial performance, support increased investment in sustainable development, taking into account the nature of its business and its social and environmental mission.
Tax responsibility
The Company diligently pays taxes in the Republic of Poland and is committed to avoiding unclear or questionable situations concerning its tax obligations.
Fair contractual practices
Agreements and assigned tasks must be performed in accordance with the arrangements made by the parties. The Company undertakes not to exploit the lack of knowledge or limited capacity of its contractors and to avoid using omissions or ambiguities in agreements as a means of renegotiating them solely to take advantage of the dependent or weaker position of the other party.
Responsible exercise of authority
The Company undertakes to exercise authority fairly and properly and to refrain from all forms of abuse. It makes every effort to ensure that its actions are transparent and avoids abusing a dominant position. These values apply both to relationships within the organisation and to cooperation with contractors.
Rejection of all forms of discrimination: diversity, equality and inclusion
In decisions affecting relationships with different stakeholders, including the selection of customers, relations with shareholders, personnel and work organisation management, the selection and management of suppliers, and relations with the local community and representative institutions, the Company avoids all forms of discrimination based on age, sex, sexual orientation, health status, race, nationality, political beliefs or religious beliefs. The same principle applies to recruitment decisions.
Fair employment practices
The Company ensures that all employees acting on its behalf are legally employed, provided with safe working conditions and offered appropriate social and healthcare benefits. The Company also invests in employee training.
Empowering people
The Company recognises that people are of fundamental importance to its development. It therefore guarantees a safe working environment that facilitates the performance of professional duties and supports the development of each person’s professional abilities.
Human resource management is based on respect for the individual personality and abilities of every employee, while safeguarding their physical and moral integrity.
Personnel must always behave respectfully towards the people they interact with while acting on behalf of the Company, treating every person fairly and with dignity. The organisation rejects all forms of compulsory labour, forced labour and child labour, and does not tolerate violations of human rights or property rights.
Responsible consumption and production
The Company plans production responsibly and refrains from producing excessive stock, primarily out of respect for the raw materials used.
The production process is optimised to minimise waste. Any waste generated is collected and sent for recycling. The Company’s goal is to create a closed-loop system for the reuse of material waste.
The brand creates timeless collections and moves away from seasonality and regular sales.
The Company does not dispose of products. It always attempts to repair them, operates an outlet and supports second-life solutions.
Protecting consumers’ health and safety is a core value. For this reason, the Company chooses wool that is free from chlorine and potentially toxic dyes.
Transparency of sources
The Company remains in close contact with its suppliers and builds relationships based on trust and cooperation. In business relationships, it enters into agreements designed to ensure mutual security. Members of the Company’s Management Board personally visit contractors and audit subcontractors’ activities.
Suppliers are selected on the basis of the ethical standards applied throughout their operations. The Company also promotes social responsibility across the entire supply chain and takes measures to prevent corruption.
Transparency and completeness of information: fair marketing
The Company is committed to providing complete, transparent and understandable information so that customers establishing a relationship with the KOPYTO brand can make independent and informed decisions. The Company rejects the use of greenwashing.
Customer service
The Company makes every effort to ensure that customers receive the support they need both when selecting suitable products and throughout the purchasing process.
Any potential uncertainties are resolved without delay on the basis of clearly formulated purchasing terms and conditions and the currently applicable law. Complaints are also handled with consideration for both the customer’s interests and the natural environment, with minor repairs preferred over the complete replacement of a product whenever possible.
Personal data protection
The Company collects and processes personal data relating to customers, contractors, employees and other natural and legal persons. Such data includes any information enabling the direct or indirect identification of a person and may include sensitive data.
The Company undertakes to process such data only within specified limits and in accordance with applicable privacy regulations. Company personnel who process sensitive and non-sensitive data as part of their professional duties must always comply with these regulations and the relevant operating instructions.
Reducing the carbon footprint
Wherever possible, the Company uses locally sourced materials in the production of items offered by the KOPYTO brand, thereby minimising the need for transport.
Where materials are not available locally, the Company seeks solutions that are geographically as close as possible, preferably within Europe. The entire production process takes place in Poland.
Raw materials and finished products are transported in larger quantities to reduce the frequency of deliveries and make maximum use of each shipment.
Environmental responsibility
The Company strives to use resources of proven high quality, primarily those that are naturally sourced and certified.
One result of these efforts is obtaining the RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) certification. It establishes strict and demanding ethical requirements at every stage of production, from sheep farming to sewing and storing the finished products.
The Company eliminates the use of single-use plastic in production and order fulfilment.
Charitable activities and social programmes
The Company organises the “Black Friday to Help” campaign as a response to the consumerism associated with the popular Black Friday event. It uses the increased attention and seasonal shopping activity as an opportunity to raise funds for selected charitable organisations, such as WWF and Szlachetna Paczka.
The Company also supports and promotes environmental initiatives, including forest clean-ups and bee protection. It participates in these initiatives as an organisation and encourages the involvement of customers, employees and business partners.
Educational activities
Through its media communication, the Company carries out educational activities concerning the negative effects of using synthetic materials such as acrylic and polyester in the production of hats.
It focuses on wool as the primary material used in the production of KOPYTO accessories and clothing. The Company promotes its practical properties in building a functional, year-round wardrobe and presents wool as a versatile and durable resource that does not generate large quantities of waste over a short period.
The Company’s educational mission also includes raising awareness of the fashion industry’s responsibility, the waste generated by the clothing sector, the time required for such waste to decompose and its impact on the environment.
The Company’s educational activities also cover reducing consumerism and changing commonly held attitudes among consumers.
Through the communication channels available to it, the Company explains concepts such as CPU and CPW (cost per use and cost per wear), which calculate the cost of a product in relation to each individual use.
This approach demonstrates why choosing more expensive, ethically produced clothing and accessories can be a more durable, timeless and ultimately more economical solution. The Company encourages thoughtful and considered purchasing decisions.