At MPG/Mondetta, we believe our differences make us stronger. From our founders’ international/immigrant roots to our diverse workforce spanning over 40 nationalities, understanding our impact on the global community is in our DNA.
We’re committed to uplifting those less fortunate, ensuring ethical labour standards in all our factories, embracing diversity within our workforce, supporting philanthropic initiatives to further education for marginalized groups, and acknowledging that we are located on Treaty 1 Territory indigenous ancestral lands and the birthplace of the Métis people.
RESPONSIBILITY: PEOPLE
(Click on a menu item below for an in-depth look)
Our Founders
Our founders are truly global citizens with family histories spanning over half the globe, from India to East Africa to Canada. They know the importance of looking beyond one’s own backyard to recognize we all belong to an interdependent global village.
MPG/Mondetta was built on a foundation of hard work and understanding that doing the right thing is the right thing to do. From minimizing our environmental impacts to ensuring our products are attainable for everyday people, our founders have instilled a culture of always doing things the right way, never cutting corners, and giving back to the communities that helped them prosper.
Getting Involved in Our Community
MPG/Mondetta has implemented a paid volunteer program for all staff members. Partnering with local businesses, we’re sponsoring employees to volunteer with local charities/organizations with 2 paid volunteer days a year. In 2022, we partnered with Winnipeg Harvest (a local food bank) to have over 25 staff members volunteer at their distribution centre.
We’re looking forward to expanding and growing this initiative to more worthy causes and charitable organizations making a difference in our community.
Our Diverse Workforce
When a company has a global perspective from the top, you see things differently.
We embrace diversity in our workforce, with over 40 nationalities represented, 30% of our workforce identifying as a visible minority, and over 70% identifying as female; we believe that when we learn from our differences, we all benefit.
We’re creating clothing for a global community; you can only achieve that with an internationally representative workforce.
B Corp™ – Worker Welfare
Our Score: 29.8/40
Industry Average: 17/40
The worker welfare aspect of the B Corp™ assessment measures a company’s commitment to providing fair and equitable treatment to its workers. This aspect of the assessment evaluates the company’s policies, practices, and impact on its employees, including areas such as compensation, benefits, training, and working conditions.
To achieve a high score in this category, companies must demonstrate that they prioritize the well-being and rights of their employees, and have implemented policies and practices to ensure that workers are treated fairly and equitably. This may include providing a living wage, safe working conditions, access to healthcare and other benefits, and opportunities for career development and advancement.
By safeguarding worker welfare, companies can create a more engaged and motivated workforce, reduce turnover and absenteeism, and improve overall productivity and performance.
We’ve shared the results of our most recent internal Employee Satisfaction Survey:
What’s Next:
Hybrid Working model
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Training for all staff
Community Engagement
Our Score: 17.7/40
Industry Average: 12/40
The community engagement aspect of the B Corp™ assessment measures a company’s commitment to creating positive social and environmental impact in the communities where it operates. This portion of the assessment evaluates the company’s engagement with local communities, including its impact on the environment, its involvement in charitable activities, and its support for local suppliers and vendors.
In order to achieve a high score in this category, companies must demonstrate that they prioritize the well-being of the communities in which they operate and have implemented policies and practices to ensure that they have a positive impact. This may include initiatives such as reducing waste and pollution, supporting local suppliers and vendors, and engaging in charitable activities and community outreach.
By prioritizing community engagement, companies can build strong relationships with local stakeholders and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the communities where they operate. Additionally, companies that prioritize community engagement can reduce the risk of negative environmental or social impacts and improve their overall social responsibility profile.
What’s Next:
We’ve identified two key initiatives to implement this year (2023) to further enhance our Community Engagement:
Paid Staff Volunteer Program:
Starting in 2023, Mondetta/MPG will be providing staff with a bank of 40 paid hours annually to be used for volunteering with local businesses.
Giving our staff the opportunity to volunteer with local non-profits and charity organizations will strengthen our ties with our local community and make a real impact on the lives of those who are most risk.
Increased percentage of revenue contributed to local charity/community involvement.
In 2023, we’re ramping up our charitable contributions. It is our goal to donate a percentage of our total revenue to local charities and community initiatives by the end of the year.
These donations will help provide local non-profits, charities, and community programs with much needed support and help us build a stronger community.
B Corp™ Customer Stewardship
Our Score: 4.0/5
Industry Average: 2.8/5
The customer stewardship aspect of the B Corp assessment measures a company’s commitment to providing high-quality products and services that meet customer needs while minimizing negative environmental and social impacts. This aspect of the assessment evaluates the company’s impact on customers, including product design, marketing, and customer support.
Companies must demonstrate that they prioritize the well-being of their customers and have implemented policies and practices to ensure that their products and services meet customer needs while minimizing negative environmental and social impacts. This may include initiatives such as designing products for durability and reparability, using environmentally-friendly materials and production processes, and providing transparent and ethical marketing and advertising.
By engaging in robust customer stewardship, companies can build strong relationships with their customers and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the marketplaces where they operate.
What’s Next:
The most important aspect of B Corp is to always be improving, that’s why we’ve outline the following initiatives to enhance our Customer Stewardship programs:
Formal Customer Satisfaction Monitoring
We’re building process to formalize how we collect customer feedback, end user reviews, and customer experience data, some we can implement measurable changes and detailed action plans to ensure our impact on our customers is always improving.
In 2023 we’re investing in Transparency One – a best in class tracking software that provides visibility and traceability into the origins of raw materials, enabling us to identify potential risks related to environmental impact, labor practices, and ethical sourcing at every step of our supply chain.
By partnering with Transparency One, we can track and analyze our supply chain data to ensure compliance with our sustainability and social responsibility policies. This can help us build trust with our customers, improve brand reputation, and reduce the risk of negative environmental or social impacts in our supply chain.
B Corp™ Governance
Our Score: 15/20
Industry Average: 7/20
The Governance aspect of the B Corp™ assessment measures a company’s commitment to ethical and transparent business practices that align with its core values. This aspect of the assessment evaluates the company’s governance structure, accountability, and impact on its stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, and the environment.
To achieve a high score in this category, companies must demonstrate that they prioritize good governance and have implemented policies and practices to ensure ethical and transparent business practices. This may include initiatives such as board diversity, transparency in financial reporting, and stakeholder engagement.
What’s Next:
Board of Directors
We’re implementing a new selection process for our board of directors to ensure Staff, Minority, and Diverse representation. Our goal is to increase female Representation and ensure our Work Force has an engaged representative with a seat at the table.
Employee Ownership Transition
Over the next 5 years, Mondetta/MPG is pursuing a transition to Employee Ownership. Our staff is what makes Mondetta/MPG work, so it only makes sense that they own a portion of our company.
Mondetta Charity Foundation
Mondetta Charity Foundation (MCF) was founded in 2004 to establish charitable initiatives in Uganda and Kenya, where Mondetta/MPG's founders were born. Leadership realized there was an opportunity to return to their roots and try to make a difference on a global scale. When determining where to focus their efforts, the Foundation resolved to help children in the region who are the most vulnerable victims of the endemic social ills in the region.
To date, MCF has:
- provided over 4 million school lunches
- donated 6000 pairs of shoes in 2016
- embarked upon Dental Missions in 2012 and 2019
- funded construction of a new wing of classrooms
Higg: The Facility Social and Labour Module
HIGG isn’t only about managing our supply chains sustainability, but about measuring the Social impacts our decisions have on the lives of our workers and those in their communities.
The Facility Social and Labour Module allows companies to assess conditions for workers at specific manufacturing plants, identify areas of improvement, and track the progress of new initiatives to improve conditions.
The criteria for the FSLM are as follows:
- Recruitment and Hiring
- Working Hours
- Wages and Benefits
- Employee Treatment
- Employee Involvement
- Health and Safety in Termination
- Management Systems
- Empowering People and Communities
Higg FSLM Benefits:
- A comprehensive social and labour assessment for facilities.
- Save time and money.
- Share modules with supply chain partners.
- Benchmark performance against other similar facilities.
- Onsite Higg Index verification is continuously expanding globally.
- Ideal for facilities of any size, any tier, and at any point in their sustainability journey.
- Bring business partners on our sustainability journey.
Social Compliance
Sustainability at MPG not only means operating in an environmentally friendly manner, but it also includes following and upholding workplace standards to respect and treat every individual working in the complete supply chain process with dignity. All suppliers and factories in the MPG garment production cycle must follow binding and strict social compliance requirements. The following are some of the certifications MPG utilizes to work with compliant factories and facilities:
Vendor Social Compliance
We take ethical and safe employment of everyone involved in creating our product seriously. We hold every vendor to strict mandates regarding fair employment practices with routine internal audits and evaluations conducted by accredited third-party organizations to uphold employment and health and safety standards.
Supply Chain Standards
WRAP - Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production
SA8000 - Social Accountability International
100% of our garment suppliers are WRAP or SA8000 certified, and 95% comply with bluesign® or OEKO-TEX standards. What does that all mean? We only work with suppliers that have achieved third-party accreditation enforcing safe and ethical manufacturing processes.
Based on principles of the International Labor Organization, all three independently monitor and certify standards of human resources management, health and safety, environmental practices, and legal compliance, including import/export matters and customs and security, which include:
- Compliance with Laws and Workplace Regulations
- Prohibition of Forced Labor
- Prohibition of Child Labor
- Prohibition of Harassment or Abuse
- Compensation and Benefits
- Hours of Work
- Prohibition of Discrimination
- Health and Safety
- Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
- Environment
- Customs Compliance
- Security
In addition to the preceding certifications, MPG also conducts internal audits to verify social compliance at factories and suppliers.
Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
In cooperation with US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), C-TPAT provides the highest level of cargo security in international supply chains involving importers, carriers, customs brokers, and manufacturers to prevent any nefarious infiltration by bad actors. By adhering to the C-TPAT framework and following strict program oversight requirements, MPG is proud to contribute to safeguarding US and Canadian borders and the citizens who live within.
Indigenous Reconciliation
Residing on Treaty 1 Territory and the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyata, Desuline, Nehethowuk nations and the homeland of the Red River Métis, MPG/Mondetta believes in reconciling with and supporting our indigenous communities.
By learning and listening to individuals from the indigenous community, we’re learning and listening and advocating for reconciling travesties and injustices of the past to work toward a more equitable future.
On National Indigenous Peoples Day and Truth and Reconciliation Day, we held in-office educational sessions with Brian McLeod, principal at Strong Heart Consulting, a community spiritual teacher whose teachings focus on Indigenous education and fostering relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous people. We’ve also held a smudging cleansing and purification to learn more about indigenous culture and rituals. The events provided deeper meaning and understanding to our entire team, who were deeply and profoundly touched by the history of indigenous peoples in Canada.
Support for Indigenous Students
Residing on Treaty 1 Territory and the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyata, Desuline, Nehethowuk nations and the homeland of the Red River Métis, MPG/Mondetta believes in reconciling with and supporting our indigenous communities.
In that vein, we pledge over $150,000 annually to indigenous students in the Winnipeg area, providing financial aid through the Business Council of Manitoba Indigenous Education Awards.
