ECHO, Incorporated  Statement on  Slavery and  Human  Trafficking

As a conscientious manufacturer doing business in California and pursuant to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010, Echo, Incorporated  (“ECHO”) makes the following statements and disclosures regarding its efforts to prevent slavery and human trafficking in its supply chain. 

Corporate Philosophy:  As  a subsidiary of Yamabiko Corporation, ECHO policies are in alignment with the Yamabiko Group Philosophy which is composed of the following three  basic elements: 

  1. 1Essence: The nature of the corporate activities to be pursued. 
  2. Significant Beliefs: The roles and responsibilities to be assumed in society 
  3. Principles: The attitudes that each employee should take in carrying out his/her work. 

Inherent in these significant beliefs and principles is the understanding that ECHO observes all internationally proclaimed human rights and rejects all forms of forced labor, child labor, slavery or human trafficking. ECHO employees are all provided written copies of the Yamabiko Group Philosophy, and are asked to observe this philosophy in their daily behavior. 

Slavery and Human Trafficking:  ECHO strongly opposes slavery and human trafficking,  and will never knowingly conduct business with suppliers engaged in such practices.  ECHO supports all  lawful efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking. In connection with the eradication of any slavery or human trafficking from its product supply chain, ECHO makes the following disclosures of its efforts. 

  1. ECHO engages  in  verification  of  its  product  supply  chains  to  evaluate  human  trafficking  and slavery risks. Currently this verification is only conducted internally through inquiry to suppliers  as  to supplier representations regarding human trafficking, child labor and slavery. This verification does not include investigations into such supplier representations.

  2. ECHO conducts announced direct supplier audits to evaluate compliance with its supply chain standards, including as to human trafficking and slavery.  These audits review multiple aspects of supplier operations and are currently conducted internally by inquiries to its direct suppliers. The inquiries are made periodically for randomly selected direct suppliers by telephone, email, letter and/or visitation. The 2015 edition of the ECHO Supplier Manual, published and reviewed by ECHO annually and incorporated into direct supplier orders placed by  ECHO, specifically sets forth the ECHO requirements regarding slavery and human trafficking.      

  3. The  purchasing policies of ECHO require that  all new direct suppliers  certify that materials incorporated into ECHO products or  into components of ECHO products comply with the laws regarding  slavery and human trafficking of the country or countries in which such suppliers  do business. New ECHO direct supplier applications incorporate questions specifically inquiring about human trafficking with certification of supplier compliance with applicable laws regarding slavery and human trafficking.      

  4. ECHO maintains internal accountability standards for its employees or contractors failing to adhere  to its standards regarding slavery and human trafficking.  

  5. ECHO does not currently provide, but is in the process of incorporating in its training programs, material and curriculum for employees and supervisors with responsibility for supply chain management, specific training on human trafficking and slavery, particularly with respect  to mitigating risks thereof within the ECHO supply chains,.