Principles and thoughts of Danefæ:
Danefæ works based on the principles of the UN Global Contract and the basic value of “Quality with Care,” specifically focusing on:
– Products with care
– Production with care
– Consume with care
– Take care of the workplace
– Attention to children’s lives
Products with care
Space for play: Danefæ makes soft, practical and functional clothing that provides room for activities and play for both big and small. We believe that children should be allowed to be children! That is why we focus on:
Safety
The most important thing for us is that our products are safe and cannot pose a safety risk to our customers in any way.
No harmful substances
We make every effort to avoid harmful substances in our products and test every new manufacturer, material and technique (e.g., print) to ensure compliance. We set strict requirements for our manufacturers and regularly review these requirements in cooperation with the Danish Technological Institute (www.dti.dk) and the international agency SGS (www.sgs.com).
We continue to provide Products with care by conducting regular sample checks and tests for quality, durability and chemistry. We strive to inform our customers as thoroughly and accurately as possible about the products and their functionality.
Production with care
Cooperation, partnership and dialogue are core concepts in our relationship with our suppliers, so that together we can develop and increase the level of mutual happiness and benefit.
Attention to the environment
We select suppliers with respect for their environmental impact and enter into contracts with them in which the supplier agrees to comply with our Code of Conduct and, of course, national and international regulations in the field, and to arrange production in such a way that it causes the least possible damage to the environment. Our Code of Conduct is based on the principles of the Global Contract. Clearly, we require that all our suppliers comply with the EU chemicals legislation REACH, which regulates the use of chemicals and ensures that chemicals are used properly and with minimal risks to health and the environment.
No illegal child labor.
We do not accept illegal child labor in the production of our clothing and our suppliers contractually agree not to use illegal child labor in the production of our clothing. However, the issue of child labor is not black and white. In many countries, children’s income through legal employment is crucial to the sustenance of the entire family. The a priori rejection of all child labor may have insurmountable consequences for both the children and their families, as the children will then seek work in much more dangerous and completely uncontrolled areas. Therefore, it is important to recognize that children can work, if under the right conditions and on an appropriate scale in terms of hours. We therefore support legal work by children in small, controlled sub-areas and arranged in such a way that it does not prevent the children’s opportunities for schooling and education.
Models and diversity
We are aware that we are communicating values in our choice of models, and we want to emphasize diversity and “latitude” using a wide range of natural models that reflect the diversity of society.
Attention to workers’ rights
We select manufacturers with due care for their working environment, and in our contracts with the manufacturer, the manufacturer undertakes to comply with national and international regulations in this area, including respecting human rights and providing good working conditions.
We ensure environmental and human rights compliance through regular visits to our production sites to ensure both quality and good conditions. We strive for -and in most cases achieve- a long-term relationship with our producers, in which mutual respect, dialogue and openness are paramount – thus problems are much more easily recognized and overcome.
Consume with care
Danefæ’s products have a quality that can handle a lot of activity, washing and wearing – this also means that clothing can be inherited and recycled from child to child, or season after season. Thus, we counteract (the mentality of) the disposable culture with full conviction.
Partnership and dialogue with our retailers for mutual development
From the same desire for quick and open communication as we do in the production chain, we seek cooperation and partnership with our retailers. This is how we find ways in which both our distributors and Danefæ can positively develop sales and communications focused on our values and CSR policies to our end users.
Dialogue with end users
We want to build on our family spirit in our direct communication with end users. We want to stimulate involvement and awareness of our end users in order to achieve in joint effort the best results regarding the core values: Quality with Care & Space to Play.
We communicate directly with our end users about how products stay good the longest with the least impact on the environment: including thorough information on proper handling, with washing guidelines and by referring to Facebook groups for resale of Danefæ products to facilitate recycling of our products.
Take care of the workplace
Danefæ is a small company with a culture of trust, complemented by humor and respect. We pride ourselves on our culture of trust and working guidelines through which all relevant employees/areas are heard in matters affecting them and through which there is easy, accessible and good communication at and through all levels of the organization. We believe that we are all a part of each other’s lives somewhere – which is why mutual respect for each other and for each other’s work is an important value throughout the organization. This creates a climate in which everyone in the organization feels their own responsibility for creating and maintaining a good working environment. Mutual respect as well as personal responsibility contributes to the willingness for dialogue and cooperation between everyone working at Danefæ.
Engaging and challenging work
We offer committed and challenging work, with freedom under responsibility, which contributes to the development of the person’s professionalism and insight.
Work Environment
We want to be a comfortable and safe working environment for our employees. We have therefore prepared, in cooperation with an externally authorized occupational health and safety consultant, a recurring report on the working environment. Based on this, measures are added, continued or revised to ensure that the workplace continues to be a pleasant and safe place for everyone.
Work/life balance
We want to keep our employees happy and provide space for family and leisure activities. Therefore, we support extra work during busy periods, but as long as it suits both the employee and the job. To ensure that our employees continue to feel challenged and enjoyable at work, we have annual employee and salary reviews where relevant issues are discussed. To continue an up-to-date work environment -taking into account all current standards and requirements- we have established a work environment organization with representatives from all levels of the company. In addition, the workplace is periodically assessed and advised by the external, authorized occupational health and safety consultant.
Caring for the lives of children
We support ongoing initiatives that focus on our core values: Children Must Be Children & Space to Play.
Cause-related marketing
We partner with organizations that focus on children’s lives, such as:
SOS Children’s Villages and Families with Children with Cancer. For example, we produce a special product for sale in our own store network, the profits of which go directly to these organizations.
Sponsorship of orphanages
We are an ongoing supporter of the organization DinNødhjælp, which runs an orphanage in Nigeria for children displaced from their families and villages because of accusations of witchcraft. In general, DinNødhjælp will be our main partner for support projects of our core value “Care for the lives of children. In particular, read more about the orphanage at www.dinnoedhjaelp.dk.
Donation of clothing
We regularly donate clothing to orphanages in various places, mainly in Africa.
Collection
We raise money for organizations dedicated to the lives of children in connection with special events such as stock sales, etc.
Care for animals
Danefae is a sponsor of the WWF Fund for Nature