Responsibility in the supply chain

Craftsmanship with integrity

Gabor is a global shoe manufacturer. We source parts and finished shoes from various parts of the world, mostly from long-standing partner companies.
Even today, the shoe industry is largely powered by manual labour. Accordingly, it takes many hands to make a shoe, which involves over 100 steps. Protecting these people is one of our responsibilities.

We achieve this through careful selection of suppliers, our Code of Conduct and independent auditing of partner companies in accordance with social standards.

Handcrafting continues to play an important role in the shoe industry.

A production facility in India manufactures our shoe uppers.

Code of Conduct

A written Code of Conduct ensures that all contractors, suppliers and licensees are bound by verifiable obligations to comply with our requirements. The Code of Conduct is based on international standards such as the principles of the UN Global Compact, the ILO (International Labour Organisation) core labour standards and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Find out more about Gabor's detailed Code of Conduct here:

Social standards and independent audits

All partners who manufacture uppers or finished shoes for us in Asian countries have also been audited by an independent body in accordance with a recognised social standard or are currently undergoing an audit. This is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. We currently accept the following standards:

SA8000
SMETA
WRAP

These standards examine health and safety issues in the workplace and processes relating to payment, contracts and documentation.

SA8000 (Social Accountability International)

WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production)

SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit)

Whistleblower system

If employees, customers, suppliers or other third parties become aware of violations of laws or the Gabor Code of Conduct, we expressly request that these be reported:

if possible, to your immediate superior, and to request a remedy.
If this is not desired or not possible, reports can also be submitted anonymously.

To this end, Gabor has a whistleblower system that guarantees every complaint is investigated and treated anonymously and confidentially. The whistleblower system offers the highest levels of protection for whistleblowers.

In order to enable prompt processing, the case should be presented as clearly as possible. The following questions can help: