Purchasing Integrity - Our Code
Follett was the first academic retailer to develop standards for fair labor practices in the manufacture of collegiate products because how it is made is just as important as how it looks. Follett purchases only from reputable and responsible vendors that meet or exceed our Vendor Labor Code of Conduct.
- Our vendors must certify in writing that they are in compliance with our Code.
- Merchandise that is not manufactured according to our Code is removed from sale.
- Vendors who do not comply with our Code risk termination as a source.
View the Follett Vendor Labor Code of Conduct
Making a difference with Alta Gracia
Delivering the right assortment of products in an omni-channel business requires partnership with brands that reflect the Follett Values, as well as the values of our campus partners and the more than 47 million students served across all Follett businesses. While course materials play a big role, they're just one part of the story.
In 2010, Follett announced a partnership with Alta Gracia - a groundbreaking clothing line produced at the first-ever apparel factory in the developing world that pays its workers a living wage, demonstrating full respect for workers' rights. Workers in the Alta Gracia factory in the Dominican Republic are paid about three times what a typical factory worker makes in the country, eliminating barriers to basic life needs. This living wage is enough to provide an entire family access to three healthy meals a day, a safe home, transportation, healthcare and education - things that many take for granted every day.
For 2014, Follett proudly announced the expansion of its business relationship with Alta Gracia. With Follett's commitment to apparel programs at over 800 stores, Alta Gracia, for the first time, has the necessary volume to be a sustainable business.
