Sustainable Procurement is now easier.
Sustainable Procurement helps responsible organisations to integrate sustainability into their organisation and extend their influence through the supply chain. A new Standard on Sustainable Procurement, ISO 20400, has recently been released. The Sustainable Procurement Standard provides guidance to organisations, assisting them to make better purchasing decisions by assessing the sustainability and ethics of their suppliers. There are […]
Read MoreSamsung: an example of why a business needs an effective Compliance Program to manage its risks.
Washing machine fires and recall Samsung had a problem with several of their washing machines; they caught on fire! They issued a recall in 2013, however, 2 years later, many of the effected washing machines are still in the community and pose a dangerous fire and safety hazard. Samsung issued further recall notice in June […]
Read MoreFailing to give a refund, repair or replacement product costs online seller $100,000
Retailers need to know what rights consumers have when they purchase from their online or physical stores Mr Chopra, the owner, of the online electronics store ”Electronic Bazaar” has been sent a strong message that it is unacceptable for a retailer to fail to give consumers a refund, repair or replacement product for faulty goods sold. The Federal Court has […]
Read MoreWe have a Policy: translating a Policy into Practice
I was very privileged to participate last week in The National Defence, Police & Emergency Services Women’s Leadership Summit and hear some very successful women talk about their experiences and share their leadership insights. One of the issues that each of their organisations face, whether it be the Army, Navy Air Force, State or Federal […]
Read MoreDodging the Regulator’s bullet
3 unwanted letters I recently wrote about 3 unwanted types of letter a business could receive. To recap, these are letters from: -a Regulator, for example the ACCC, a State Fair Trading Office, the TGA or Workcover alleging that you or your company has broken the law that the relevant regulator enforces; – the lawyer acting […]
Read MoreWhat do you do when you get “The Letter”?
Four types of letters There are 3 important letters that your business cannot ignore if it receives one. Each one is serious and has enormous consequences for the business. Each one is avoidable and only one is welcome. There is a fourth letter that you won’t receive, but also has huge consequences. The 3 letters […]
Read MoreBusiness lessons from contaminated raspberries
This week we have heard of a number of people contracting Hepatitis A from contaminated imported frozen raspberries. The berries were grown, washed and packaged in China and it appears that unhygienic work practices and /or contaminated water used to wash the fruit is to blame for the contamination. Apart from providing a compelling reason […]
Read MoreWhat all businesses can learn from free range eggs
This week the ACCC has taken action against 3 more “free range” egg producers; those selling Ecoeggs, Field Fresh, Port Stephens and Darling Downs Fresh Eggs brands. The ACCC is alleging that their claims of free range are misleading and deceptive in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. These proceedings follow the recent decision of the Federal Court in September […]
Read MoreWhistleblowers: don’t shoot the messenger
I recently wrote about the value to a business of customer feedback- in particular how complaints should be giving the business a heads up of potentially serious issues the business could be facing. Employees identifying risks in the organisation But what about internal feedback? Internal feedback, particularly “whistleblowing” where an employee reports corruption, fraud, unsafe […]
Read MoreTurning complaints into assets
What would you do if a client publishes a bad review or lodges a complaint about your business? The Broadway Hotel in Blackpool, England is making news for all the reasons it was trying to avoid. It has been reported in the world news that the Broadway Hotel has (or had) a term in its terms […]
Read More6 signs that you might be unintentionally misleading your customers
The word spreads quickly when you do something wrong It does not take long for press releases and news, particularly if it is bad, scandalous or involves a famous person or well -known brand, to do the rounds of the mainline press, industry newsletters, blogs and other social media. We saw it last week with the […]
Read MoreHas someone complained about your business?
Small businesses cannot expect to fly under the ACCC’s radar. Managing risk of non compliance with laws, including the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) is something all businesses should be concerned with. The ACCC does not only deal with complaints and enquiries relating to the conduct of large businesses and companies. According to the ACCC’s latest Small Business […]
Read MoreThe real costs of cheap goods
Whether its cosmetics or electrical goods, suppliers have a responsibility for consumer protection and consumers have a responsibility for their own protection. Counterfeit make-up causing injury The NSW Department of Fair Trading has been investigating and following up on complaints about counterfeit MAC branded make-up products being sold in Sydney which […]
Read More7 things sellers can do to reduce the risks of their goods killing or injuring their customers
The news today reported a tragic story of a woman who was found dead holding a lap top and with head phones in place. She had burns to her ears and chest. Although investigations are still being carried out, she is suspected of having been electrocuted because of faulty and non-compliant USB –style charger attached to […]
Read MoreWhat can companies learn from GM’s recall debacle?
15 senior GM employees lost their jobs over delaying the recall of faulty cars Failing to act urgently to recall faulty products last week led to General Motors sacking 15 employees, mostly in senior and executive legal and engineering roles and disciplining 5 others. They failed to act an ongoing problem with the ignition switches in a number […]
Read MoreIf your company imports wood-derived products it must have a due diligence system.
Who needs to develop a due diligence system under Australia’s new Illegal Logging Prohibition laws? Generally speaking, the law applies to individuals or companies that -import paper or products incorporating paper; -import logs, timber or products incorporating wood; or -process Australian harvested logs and it comes into force on 30 November 2014. The Illegal Logging […]
Read MoreHow can your social media activity breach the Australian Consumer Law?
Are you responsible for what other people say on your social media site? A few years ago, the Federal Court found that Allergy Pathway Pty Ltd had engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct. The Company and its director undertook, among other things, not to make certain representations about their ability to test for allergens […]
Read MoreDoes anyone like telemarketers and door to door salespeople?
Devious and annoying telemarketers! I was having lunch with friends on the weekend when the conversation turned to the devious tricks that telemarketers play to try to get your personal information and make a sale. One friend told us about a call she received where the caller said that they were following up a recent […]
Read MoreSelling goods online- 3 things sellers need to be aware of to avoid paying big fines
Almost every day there is an article or media release about companies that have allegedly breached laws that protect consumers. Mostly they don’t intend to hurt their customers. (I hope not anyway!!) Buying electrical and other goods online is becoming more common with new sellers popping up every day. Here’s a warning that they […]
Read More4 reasons why you need to know what your salespeople are saying
Employers are liable for things that their employees say to customers. The company can be found to have breached the Australian Consumer Law (“ACL”) even if an employee doesn’t intend to do wrong or doesn’t know what they are doing is a breach. Here are 4 common things that can get the company into trouble […]
Read MoreComplaints- where lawyers and marketers can agree.
Lawyers and marketers don’t always see eye to eye- take for instance the marketer wanting to find a descriptive name for a product and the IP lawyer advising that a descriptive name won’t be easy to protect. But I don’t want to talk about names here. This is about complaints, brand identity and product and […]
Read MoreDoes your organisation comply with the revised Privacy Act? Time is running out!
Agencies and organisations were given significant notice that, come 12 March 2014, they would need to comply with the amended Privacy Act and the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (“APP”)’s set out in it. Does your business need to comply? If you answer “YES” to the following questions your organisation must comply with the APPs Is […]
Read MoreThe ACCC gets tough with Coles and Woolworths and their fuel discounts
Coles and Woolworths shopper dockets and their s87B undertakings Coles and Woolworths were issuing shopper dockets with fuel discounts of 8 cents or more to customers who made purchases over a certain value in their supermarkets. The ACCC were investigating whether, by doing this, the big supermarket retailers were lessening competition in the retail fuel […]
Read MoreThe serious consequences of supplying goods that don’t comply with safety standards
We have recently heard in the news the sad cases of two small children who were strangled by the cords used to open and raise blinds. Standards to keep us safe In Australia we have a number of mandatory Safety Standards that apply to products that have the potential to cause serious harm to consumers, […]
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