p.4
"IBM requires its direct suppliers of hardware, software, and services to work toward and remain conmformant with the RBA Code. Setting this expectation with new suppliers begins during on-boarding, where IBM introduces the RBA Code of Conduct and our expectation of full conformance. As part of onboarding, new IBM suppliers (in all countries) are required to sign a contractual agreement (called the RBA Letter Agreement) to comply with the RBA Code, or to demonstrate equivalency through a respective code and practices."
"The RBA Code of Conduct was updated to Version 6.0, effective January 1, 2018, with specific wording addressing the prevention of Slavery and Human Traffcking. The Code was again updated to Version 7.0, effective January 1, 2021, further modifying this section that is contained in the Labour section under Freely Chosen Employment:
Forced, bonded (including debt bondage) or indentured labor, involuntary or exploitative prison labor, slavery or traffcking of persons is not permitted. This includes transporting, harboring, recruiting, transferring, or receiving persons by means of threat, force, coercion, abduction or fraud for labor or services. There shall be no unreasonable restrictions on workers’ freedom of movement in the facility in addition to unreasonable restrictions on entering or exiting company -provided facilities including, if applicable, workers’ dormitories or living quarters. As part of the hiring process, all workers must be provided with a written employment agreement in their native language that contains a description of terms and conditions of employment. Foreign migrant workers must receive the employment agreement prior to the worker departing from his or her country of origin and there shall be no substitution or change(s) allowed in the employment agreement upon arrival in the receiving country unless these changes are made to meet local law and provide equal or better terms. All work must be voluntary, and workers shall be free to leave work at any time or terminate their employment without penalty if reasonable notice is given as per workers’ contract. Employers, agents, and sub-agents may not hold or otherwise destroy, conceal, or confscate identity or immigration documents, such as government-issued identifcation, passports, or work permits. Employers can only hold documentation if such holdings are required by law. In this case, at no time should workers be denied access to their documents. Workers shall not be required to pay employers agents or sub-agents recruitment fees or other related fees for their employment. If any such fees are found to have been paid by workers, such fees shall be repaid to the worker."