Kyndly Code of Conduct
Effective date: 25-08-2025
Purpose & Scope
Kyndly is a non‑profit marketplace built on honesty, transparency, and respect for
people and planet. This Seller Code of Conduct (the Code) sets the minimum
requirements all brands, suppliers, licensees, and contractors (Sellers) must meet to
join and remain on the Kyndly platform. The Code applies to the Seller’s own
operations and its entire supply chain (raw materials through end‑of‑life), including
subcontractors and home‑workers.
Sellers must comply with all applicable laws and this Code. Where this Code sets a
higher bar than local law, Kyndly expects Sellers to meet the higher standard.
1) Ethical Work & Human Rights
Sellers shall uphold internationally recognised human rights and labour standards,
including the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Specifically:
• No forced, bonded, or prison labour. Workers are free to leave employment
with reasonable notice; no retention of personal documents or deposits.
• No child labour. Minimum age = 15 or the legal school‑leaving age, whichever
is higher; robust age‑verification and remediation procedures.
• Freedom of association & collective bargaining. Where these rights are
restricted by law, Sellers enable parallel means of worker representation.
• No discrimination or harassment. Equality in hiring, pay, promotion, and
termination regardless of gender, pregnancy, parental status, race, ethnicity,
caste, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age, or political affiliation; zero
tolerance for violence, harassment, or intimidation.
• Migrant and agency workers. No recruitment fees charged to workers; fair
contracts in a language they understand; equal treatment and access to
grievance channels.
• Grievance & whistleblowing. Confidential, non‑retaliatory mechanisms must be available to all workers, with timely, documented remediation.
2) Wages, Benefits & Working Hours
• Living wages. Wages must meet or exceed legal minimums and aim toward
living wage benchmarks that cover basic needs and allow discretionary income
in the local context.
• Benefits & contracts. Comply with social security, paid leave, and statutory
benefits; written contracts for all workers.
• Working hours. Comply with law; regular work ≤ 48 hours/week; overtime is
voluntary, exceptional, paid at a premium, and not used as a substitute for
regular hiring; at least one day off in seven.
3) Health, Safety & Wellbeing
• A documented health & safety management system proportionate to risk.
• Safe buildings, machinery, electrical systems, and emergency preparedness
(exits, signage, drills, first aid, fire safety, chemical spill plans).
• Adequate PPE, training, and sanitation facilities; potable water.
• Special protections for vulnerable groups (young workers, pregnant/nursing
workers, people with disabilities).
4) Environmental Responsibility & Climate
Sellers commit to continuous reduction of environmental impacts across the product
life cycle:
• Legal compliance with all environmental permits and regulations.
• Impact measurement. Provide product‑level life‑cycle data aligned with the EU
Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method. For carbon, quantify
cradle‑to‑grave GHG impacts consistent with ISO 14067 (GWP100); for water
impacts, align with ISO 14046.• Targets & improvement. Set targets and demonstrate year‑on‑year
improvement for GHG emissions, energy, water, waste, and pollution; prioritise
renewable energy and efficiency.
• Biodiversity & land use. Avoid deforestation and conversion; prefer certified or
verified deforestation‑free and responsibly managed sources.
• Waste & circularity. Prevent pollution; minimise waste; maximise repairability,
reuse, refurbishability, and recyclability.
• End‑of‑life. Provide clear customer guidance for repair, spare parts availability,
and responsible disposal or take‑back where feasible.
5) Materials & Chemicals Management (No “Harsh Chemicals”)
Kyndly requires safe chemistry and the phase‑out of hazardous substances:
• Restricted Substances List (RSL). Products and manufacturing must comply
with Kyndly’s RSL (Annex A), which references high‑hazard classes such as CMR
1A/1B, PBT/vPvB, endocrine disruptors, persistent organic pollutants, and PFAS;
and aligns with EU REACH and any category‑specific laws (e.g., cosmetics, toys,
electronics).
• Priority phase‑outs. No intentional use of: PFAS (“forever chemicals”), certain
phthalates (e.g., DEHP, DBP, BBP), formaldehyde and releasers beyond legal
limits, heavy metals of concern (e.g., lead, mercury, cadmium), organohalogen
flame retardants in consumer goods, triclosan, and other substances listed in
Annex A.
• Safer alternatives. Implement a chemicals management system, using
hazard‑based screening and safer substitution where feasible.
• Fragrance & allergens. Transparently disclose common allergens and sensitizers
where legally required or requested by Kyndly.
6) Animal Welfare (Where Applicable)
• No ingredients or materials sourced from practices involving unnecessary harm
or cruelty.
• No live‑plucking or mulesing; no cosmetics tested on animals; fish and animal
products must come from responsibly managed systems.
• Full traceability for animal‑derived materials.
7) Product Integrity, Safety & Quality
• Comply with all product‑specific laws (e.g., EU Cosmetics Regulation, General
Product Safety Regulation, food safety and hygiene, RoHS for electronics,
textiles labelling, toy safety, etc.).
• Provide accurate composition, care, and safety information; maintain robust
quality control and traceability to at least Tier 1 suppliers (and deeper for
high‑risk inputs).
8) Data Transparency: LCA, DPP & Evidence Sharing
To uphold marketplace honesty, Sellers agree to:
• Provide data needed for Kyndly to create or verify LCAs and Digital Product
Passports / Product Environmental Profiles (DPPs/PEPs) and to publish these
impacts on product pages.
• Grant rights for Kyndly to calculate, verify, and display impact data (including
updates) without additional consent, as described in Kyndly’s Seller Terms.
• Substantiate claims. All sustainability or performance claims must be truthful,
specific, and substantiated with credible evidence; no greenwashing.
• Audit cooperation. Maintain documentation and allow reasonable assessments,
including on‑site audits, third‑party verifications, and supply‑chain due diligence.
9) Packaging & Logistics
• Follow Kyndly’s Packaging & Labelling Guide (Annex B): minimise materials;
avoid PVC; prefer recycled/recyclable mono‑materials; no misleading
“biodegradable/compostable” claims unless certified to recognised standards;
print with low‑impact inks.
• Shipments: favour consolidated, low‑carbon transport; avoid unnecessary air
freight where feasible; provide parcel‑level data if requested.
10) Marketing, Communications & Honesty
• No false, vague, or unsubstantiated environmental or social claims.
• Disclose material limitations, trade‑offs, and known impacts honestly.
• Respect IP, image rights, and consumer protection laws; clear, accessible
after‑sales support and warranties where applicable.
11) Business Integrity & Data Protection
• Zero tolerance for bribery, corruption, extortion, money laundering, or
falsification of records.
• Protect consumer and worker data; comply with data protection laws (e.g.,
GDPR) and Kyndly’s Privacy Policy.
12) Monitoring, Corrective Action & Consequences
• Self‑assessment. Complete Kyndly’s Product Specification Excel sheet and
provide evidentiary documents (see Annex C).
• Non‑compliance. Kyndly may issue corrective action plans with clear timelines.
Serious or repeated non‑compliance may result in suspension or removal from
the marketplace.
• Transparency. Material breaches affecting customers must be disclosed to
Kyndly immediately.
13) Continuous Improvement & Preferred Practices
Beyond compliance, Kyndly encourages: - Science‑based climate targets and verified
renewable energy procurement. - Third‑party certifications where relevant (e.g.,
organic, GOTS/GRS/OCS for textiles, Fairtrade, FSC/PEFC, MSC/ASC, B‑Corp for
corporate governance). - Design for durability, modularity, repair, and take‑back.14)
Reporting Concerns
Anyone (workers, suppliers, customers) may report concerns confidentially to Kyndly at:
ethics@kyndly.nl (or your designated channel). Kyndly prohibits retaliation against
good‑faith reporters.
Annex A — Kyndly Restricted Substances List (RSL) [summary]
Full RSL with limits and test methods supplied separately by Kyndly. Scope
includes product and manufacturing processes. - Aligns with EU REACH
(SVHCs), CLP hazard classes; prioritises phase‑out of: PFAS; ortho‑phthalates
(DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP); formaldehyde/releasers; heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd,
Cr(VI)); azo dyes that release banned amines; organohalogen flame retardants
in consumer goods; triclosan; certain parabens as restricted by law; PAHs in
rubbers; volatile solvents above limits; phenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates
where restricted; benzene, toluene, and other CMR solvents. - Category
addenda (where applicable): cosmetics, toys/children’s articles, electronics
(RoHS), food contact materials, textiles & leather (e.g., chromium VI, DMFu),
cleaning products.
Annex B — Packaging & Labelling Guide [summary]
• Use minimal, right‑sized packaging; mono‑materials where possible; high
recycled content.
• Avoid PVC and problem composites; use paper from responsibly managed
sources.
• No unverified “biodegradable/compostable” claims; if used, certify (e.g., EN
13432, home compostability where applicable) and disclose conditions.
• Clear disposal instructions (recycle, return, refill). Prefer water‑based or
vegetable inks; avoid metallic foils unless recyclable.
Annex C — Evidence Checklist
• Policies: human rights, H&S, environmental/chemical management.
• Declarations: living wage approach, no child/forced labour, freedom of
association.
• Training records, risk assessments, incident logs, hours & wage records.
• Supply‑chain mapping for high‑risk inputs; material origin documentation.
• Product safety files, test reports, certifications.
• LCA/DPP data files (BOMs, weights, energy/water use, transport, packaging).
• Packaging specifications and recyclability evidence.
Kyndly may update this Code to reflect evolving laws and best practice. Sellers will be
notified of material changes.