Supplier Code of Conduct
The Knot Worldwide Inc. (collectively with its subsidiaries, “TKWW,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is committed to conducting business lawfully, ethically and responsibly. Our Code of Conduct & Ethics outlines the standards according to which we carry out our business. This Supplier Code of Conduct (“Code”) is intended to ensure that all of our suppliers and subcontractors share the same principles.
The term “Supplier” or “Suppliers” means any person or entity that is the source for goods or services, back to the primary production level. The Code is applicable to all workers and employees of any of those Suppliers (including permanent, temporary, contract agency and migrant workers). This includes all workers providing work at a Supplier location, such as under an employment agency or service provider. It also applies to any subcontractors and third-party labor agencies.
We reserve the right to verify compliance with the Code through internal or third-party assessments and to require implementation of corrective actions toward meeting the Code. In cases where improvement is required, we will offer support and work with the Supplier to establish clear milestones and processes to support their achievement. Suppliers who ultimately fail to comply may be subject to consequences up to and including termination of business. TKWW reserves the right to reasonably modify this Code from time to time without prior notice as changes arise.
Business Practices
Suppliers will implement management systems to facilitate compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, contractual agreements and generally recognized standards. Suppliers will promote continuous improvement with respect to the expectations set forth in this Code.
Suppliers will have systems in place to:
● Enable fair, confidential and anonymous grievance reporting with follow-up and preventative measures without fear of reprisal, including whistleblower protections
● Maintain books and records in accordance with applicable law and generally accepted accounting principles
● Protect confidential information to which they have access, including intellectual property, trade secrets and financial information
● Prevent any insider trading of TKWW or its affiliates, partners, customers’ or suppliers’ stock
● Safeguard any property belonging to TKWW while on and off company premises
● Avoid any circumstances that may adversely affect our business interests or reputation
● Conduct their business in a fair and equitable manner that treats all individuals with dignity and respect, including not discriminating against any individual based on skin color, nationality, race, disabilities, political or religious conviction, sexual orientation or gender identity, age, sex, social background, physical characteristics, union membership, family status, or pregnancy
● Prevent any form of corruption, extortion or embezzlement, including a zero- tolerance approach to bribery and kickbacks, and comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
● Ensure that any public relations, public affairs or lobbying related activities on behalf of TKWW are conducted with transparency, accountability and integrity
● Conduct business in line with fair competition and in accordance with all applicable antitrust laws
● Comply with applicable import and export laws, including, where applicable, trade restrictions of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or any other applicable trade restrictions
● Prevent giving improper or lavish gifts or entertainment to TKWW employees, and ensure that any such gift or entertainment is in compliance with applicable law
● Ensure that they do not conduct work for TKWW or its subsidiaries in China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or Venezuela.
Suppliers are required to ensure that no subcontractors located in these countries are engaged in work related to TKWW without prior written consent from TKWW.
We reserve the right to ask suppliers for a full supply chain map to facilitate risk assessment and gauge compliance in all aspects of the supply chain. Suppliers shall be transparent about all known facilities used to produce products or services for us and provide such information upon request. At our request, suppliers are expected to provide to us reports on the occurrence of substances in any materials supplied to us that may be restricted by, or require disclosure to, governmental bodies, and/or customers.
Labor Practices
We expect suppliers to respect the personal dignity, privacy and human rights of each individual and:
● Avoid any sort of child labor in their business operations consistent with the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) core labor standards
● Uphold freely chosen employment practices, with no toleration for forced, prison, bonded, indentured or involuntary labor in their operations and supply chain
● Provide employees with a written employment agreement that complies with local laws and regulations, and inform workers of their legal rights and employment conditions in a language understood by the employee
● Respect the maximum number of working hours determined in applicable laws and provide compensation paid to employees that complies with applicable national wage laws, with all overtime work paid at the legally mandated overtime rate
● Refuse to tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination, and provide employees with a workplace free of corporal punishment or torture, mental or physical coercion or verbal abuse of employees, or the threat of any such treatment
● Respect the rights of employees to associate freely, join labor unions, seek representation, join works councils and engage in collective bargaining, as permitted by applicable law
● Provide a safe and healthy working environment, including appropriate controls, safe work procedures, preventative maintenance and necessary technical protective measures to mitigate health and safety risks in the workplace
● Identify and assess likely and potential emergency situations in the workplace and minimize their impact by implementing emergency plans and response procedures
● Ensure that employees always have access to potable drinking water, clean toilet facilities and safe working conditions that meet the basic needs of workers and conforms to applicable laws at the workplace
● Respect the rights and titles to property and land of individuals, indigenous peoples and local communities and ensure that negotiations regarding property and land adhere to principles of free, prior and informed consent, as well as contract transparency and disclosure
● Obtain, maintain and comply with all health and safety permits
● By engaging with TKWW, Suppliers must comply with any applicable equality and/or nondiscrimination regulations in their respective countries. Furthermore, suppliers are encouraged to implement policies and practices that foster a culture of inclusivity among their employees and stakeholders. TKWW reserves the right to conduct assessments as needed to verify the implementation of these measures.
Environmental Practices
We are committed to operating in a way that respects the environment, is thoughtful about the use of natural resources and is focused on continuous improvement. At a minimum, we expect that suppliers will:
● Act in compliance with the applicable statutory and international standards of environmental protection
● Work to reduce their carbon footprint through investment in energy efficient buildings and processes, optimization of supply chains and distribution networks and a transition to renewable energy sources
● Strive to protect water resources by minimizing use of water in their operations and avoiding contamination from their operations
● Reduce waste-to-landfill through strategic sourcing initiatives, reuse and recycling practices, optimized manufacturing and packaging systems and employee training
● Identify and reduce the use of hazardous materials, chemicals and substances, including providing relevant employees with proper training for safe handling, storage and disposal to prevent or mitigate accidental spills and releases into the environment
Reporting Concerns
Suppliers must immediately report any actual or suspected violations of this Code using any one of the following reporting methods:
● Compliance Hotline: http://theknotww.ethicspoint.com (via phone or online)
Email: legal@theknotww.com
By Mail:
The Knot Worldwide
Attn: Legal
2 Wisconsin Cir FL 3
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Adopted: June 1, 2022
Last Updated: February 20th, 2025