RESPONSIBILITY IN ACTIONPROGRESS BUILT ON INTEGRITY
Fair employment, everyday support for our people and careful use of resources are part of how we work. Discover the choices and initiatives behind the our daily practices.
OUR APPROACH TO RESPONSIBILITY
We believe every garment should have a purpose. Designed for function, built for durability, and made to meet a genuine need.
Never disposable.
Taking responsibility means caring for the people who make it, using materials thoughtfully and working closely with our partners.
These commitments shape everyday decisions, from employee benefits and factory practices to product development and supplier relationships.
Fair Employment
Our colleagues in Vietnam are an integral part of Viking, and we support them with fair pay and benefits they can rely on.
Our impact report records base salaries 38% above the calculated 2023 living-wage benchmark, before additional bonuses and benefits. Employees also receive a 13th-month salary, alongside performance and attendance bonuses.
Our support extends to life outside work.
Childcare allowances help employees with children, while housing allowances contribute to living costs for those who have moved from the countryside to work with us. We provide free lunches in our canteen and dinner during extended working hours, with overtime paid at a premium rate. Together, these benefits help employees meet everyday expenses and support their households.
Fair employment also means having a voice. Employees have trade union representation and elected representatives who meet with management. Our SA8000-certified Vietnam facility undergoes external assessments of working conditions and workers’ rights. Clear employment policies and procedures to prevent child and forced labour help put our commitment to dignity and respect into practice.
Employee Health & Wellbeing
Looking after our employees means making care and support part of working life. We offer two health examinations each year, with an on-site medical room and first-aid team available for immediate needs. Two annual fire drills, regular safety training and inspections of emergency equipment help people work safely and know how to respond in critical situations.
Each working day, employees can join two voluntary seven-minute guided exercise sessions. Programmes covering nutrition, mental wellbeing and personal development provide further opportunities to look after themselves. Shared activities give colleagues time to move, connect and enjoy a break together.
Employees also help decide what this support looks like.
English classes, aerobics, cooking competitions and internal gardens have grown from their suggestions. We also provide machine-operation training for new colleagues and employees moving between production tasks. By combining practical training with activities people have asked for, we support both their skills and their participation in workplace life.
Product Responsibility
Every garment represents an investment of energy, water, materials and skilled work. We respect that investment by designing products for demanding use, with durability guiding our product development. We have also introduced a take-back pilot with parts of our product line to learn from used garments and explore opportunities to extend their duratibality.
Careful material use starts with the people handling it.
Employees at our Vietnam facility suggest ways to improve designs, save fabric and make better use of offcuts.
Their experience helps us identify practical changes in production. Mapping our production waste also gives us a clearer understanding of what is being discarded and where we can improve.
Our ISO 14001 environmental management system helps us organise and review this work. We record electricity consumption at our Vietnam facility each month and use that information alongside our waste mapping and material-saving initiatives. Understanding how resources are used gives us a firmer basis for deciding where improvements are needed.
Responsible Business
Customers and partners need confidence in how their products are made. Our ISO 9001 certification supports clear processes, quality control and regular review, while external social accountability audits examine working conditions.
These checks help us identify problems, address shortcomings and maintain attention to the details behind our products.
Responsibility also means making it possible for people to speak up. Employees can raise concerns directly with supervisors, through union representatives, through anonymous complaint mailboxes or through a confidential line to external auditors.
We have a defined process for handling concerns and recording corrective actions, so that what people tell us can lead to changes in how we work.
We bring the same care to our supplier relationships.
We assess suppliers according to risk and prioritise long-term partnerships with businesses that share our expectations for quality, responsibility and transparency. Working closely together helps us understand challenges, address problems and support improvements over time. This is part of the responsibility we take for the people and processes behind every garment.
transparency is
responsibility
Responsibility is an ongoing process, and we believe transparency is part of doing it properly. If you have questions about our working conditions, environmental initiatives, certifications, production practices or future goals, we are happy to provide further information.
Whether you are an existing customer evaluating your supply chain or a potential partner looking to understand how we operate, our team can help you get a clearer picture of the standards, systems and initiatives behind our production.