Profile of CONTIGO´s partner HaLinh

Supply chain

Trading Partner: Halinh, medium enterprise
Function: Producer
Structure: Own production plant, affiliated producers
Tradeway: Direct import CONTIGO

Products

Laundry baskets

Location

Hanoi, Phu Nghia Industrial Zone, Vietnam – distance to Europe: 8.600km

Founded in 1996

History

• 1996: Mr. Thang Dang Cong opens a small family business for different types of handicraft products
• 2005: Foundation of the company “HaLinh Rattan & Bamboo Co.”, the name HaLinh derives from his daughter born in 2005
• 2010: First participation at a trade fair in Europe
• 2016: HaLinh is audited by BSCI
• 2017: Certification of HaLinh according to the ISO standards 14001 and 9001. In addition HaLinh becomes a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (=WFTO)

Cooperation with CONTIGO since 2017

Structure of the organisation

Number of employees:

• 46 employees (32 women and 14 men) in the central company
• Partnership with 11 workshops 
  • Over 2.000 artisans in the different workshops
  • Workshops are based in the provinces of Ha Noi, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An
  • Every workshop is specialised on one product group/ material and is organised independently
  • Organisation with production managers who distribute orders from HaLinh to workshops and individuals, manage production and warehouse locations and organises transport to HaLinh headquarters
  • Written agreements and conditions are available
  • HaLinh visits and monitors the workshops on a regular basis (referring to labour conditions, etc.)

Organisation of workforce:

• Duties and responsibilities of the central workshop:
  • Development of new products, first samples and master patterns made of wood to guarantee the ordered basket form: seven designers, they also teach artisans the new products and weaving techniques)
  • One department which is in contact with all remoted workshops for technique enquiries and further questions
  • Quality control and finishing of the products from the remoted workshops, e.g. fixing of the basket handles, cutting of overlaying weed
  • Packaging and distribution/ export

• In the remoted workshops:
  • With order confirmation the workshops receive an advance payment in order to buy the raw materials (sea weed), plastic stripes are given from HaLinh
  • Main production on the basis of the samples and master patterns made of wood to guarantee the ordered basket form
  • Basket bottoms and lids are particularly challenging to weave and are finished by specialised, well-trained craftsmen and women
  • Half-finished products are returned to the central workshop
  • Background information: for many weavers, basket production provides an additional source of income to agriculture and subsistence farming

 

Sales

• 100% Export (U.S.A., Australia, Germany, Sweden, France, Great Britain, Japan, Korea)

 

Goals

• To create income possibilities for people in the  rural areas of Vietnam
• To expand market and acquire new customers
• To develop new ranges
• To produce environmentally friendly

 

Special features

• 100% handmade products out of renewable natural materials (bamboo, rattan, sea weed, water hyacinth)

Why does CONTIGO work with HaLinh: High engagement for quality and design, the company has a high awareness for social issues and environment.

 

Fairtrade classification

FTA = Fairtrade Approved

 

Fairtrade aspects

HaLinh complies with the following Fairtrade principles:

No child labour

No discrimination

No discrimination due to gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political orientation, or infection with HIV.

Fair wages

At the central workshop in Hanoi: 

• Minimum wage in the region of Hanoi: VND 4,013,000/ month (VND= Vietnamese Dong)
• Average wage at HaLinh:
  • Skilled workers: VND 4,065,000 – 4,500,000/ month

• Fixed salary for all employees
• Monthly payment of workers in cash
• Overtime is paid
• Holiday bonus is paid
• At the end of the year: bonus (depending on turnover)

Humane working conditions

Working hours:

• 8 hours/day
• 1 hour lunch break
• 6 days/ week

Social benefits:

At the central workshop in Hanoi:

• Paid holidays (minimum 22 days, includes recreation leave, national and religious holidays) 
• Payment of contributions to health insurance (employer pays 3% and employee 1,5% of monthly wage)
• Payment of contributions to „Social Insurances“, consisting of
  • Pension fund
  • Continued payment of wage in case of sickness, accident and maternity leave
  • Accident insurance
  • Employer pays 18% and employee 8% of monthly gross wage
• Payment of contributions to unemployment insurance (both employer and employee pay 1% of the monthly wage)

 

Educational opportunities:

• Trainings for all employees are offered about the topics fair trade and social responsibility
• English courses

Occupational safety:

• All safety standards are met
• Instruction in security proceedings

 

Transparency

• Work contracts are available
• Payroll is available
• SAR (Self Assessment Report) was duly submitted to CONTIGO

 

Monitoring

• Personal visits in Hanoi (2018)
• Audited and certified by
  • BSCI
  • ISO 14001 and ISO 9001
• Member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) since 2017

 

Country information

See Encyclopaedia Britannica: Vietnam

 

Photos

 

Videos