Workplace and Supply Chain Code of Conduct:

The labor principles herein apply to Doheny NYC’s own operations and management as well as, where relevant, its third-party contractors, including suppliers, vendors, and partners.

At Doheny NYC, we are resourceful and ethical, with a focus on what is best for the planet while also being accountable to our customers. We do our best to source components and select partners that abide by our expectations below, despite that we are a small business that lacks the resources of larger big box department stores.

Fair Labor

We require the following: No Exploitation, No Child Labor, No Forced Labor, No Retaliation, Anti-Discrimination and Women’s Rights, and Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining

Our third-party contractors are responsible for ensuring that their workers are treated fairly, allowed the right of free association and collective bargaining, and are paid pursuant to applicable laws. We have no reason to believe that any of our contractors fail these basic expectations, and trust that they are ensuring all labor is voluntary (and not forced in any way) and free of exploitation and occurs is a safe work environment that does not include or otherwise permit any child labor practices. Doheny NYC will not knowingly do business with any partner, supplier, or vendor that does not comply with these expectations, which may go beyond the requirements of applicable laws. 

If a third party has information that one of Doheny NYC’s partners, suppliers, or vendors is not complying with our expectations on a safe work environment free of exploitation and with voluntary labor performed by consenting adults, all consistent with applicable laws and regulations, we welcome such disclosures to Doheny NYC’s ombudsman. The ombudsman will evaluate the tip for authenticity and credibility and may, in her discretion, confront that third party for more information. At the conclusion of the ombudsman’s preliminary investigation, where appropriate, we will terminate partnerships with third parties who do not share our principles. 

Doheny NYC also expects its third-party contractors to conduct business in an overall lawful, ethical manner and to encourage the reporting of any workplace/labor concerns or potential violations, free of any discrimination (including on the basis of race, gender, national origin, and all other protected classes) and free of threat of retaliation. Doheny NYC is women-owned and led and believes in the protection of women’s rights and will not tolerate violations of women’s rights laws by its third-party contractors.

Doheny NYC has the same fair labor standards for its own company as it does for its third party contractors, and these standards may exceed the requirements of federal, state, and local laws.

Doheny NYC has a strict labor compliance requirement. All supplies, vendors, and other third parties in partnership with Doheny NYC must ensure that their workers receive a living wage, hire locally, and enter above-board contractual arrangements governed by applicable law. Doheny NYC commits to the same for all its own contractors. Staff must be treated well and all parties must be committed to all fair labor practices. Doheny NYC prioritizes suppliers who exhibit the same high-priority to local hiring and the health and wellness of its workers. 

Compensation/Wages & Benefits, Hours of Work, and Overtime

Those who perform services for Doheny NYC will be compensated fairly and pursuant to their contracts. Doheny NYC staff will be compensated for every hour they work, which will be performed remotely and pursuant to that contractor’s availability and at their discretion. However, each must record their time and provide timesheets where applicable pursuant to the policies of Doheny NYC. Invoicing policies and third-party vendor policies are subject to the specific terms of the contracts and statements of work (SOW) mutually executed between that party and Doheny NYC through its duly authorized representative. 

Doheny NYC does not have any full-time employees, so compensation is hourly based upon work performed (rather than a salary or other fixed wages) and no benefits are currently offered, nor does the Company need to offer overtime pay. However, even for its independent contractors, Doheny NYC currently offers an increased hourly rate for work performed beyond 20.0 hours in one week.

Doheny NYC expects its third party contractors, too, to compensate their workers fairly and timely pursuant to their own contracts and grant them the fullest protections of applicable laws when it comes to compensation, wages, benefits, work hours, and overtime.

Health and Safety, including Safe Working Environment Free of Harassment 

Doheny NYC is a fully remote workplace. However, we require all staff, suppliers, vendors, and other third-party relationship partners to exhibit the utmost professionalism and follow all applicable laws and regulations. This includes ensuring that our staff are committed to not being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not engaging in workplace violence, and not being in the possession of any weapon or making any threats or otherwise disrupting the piece in the vent of any in-person work or Doheny NYC-associated events. Harassment of any form, including sexual harassment, is strictly prohibited and will lead to immediate termination. Doheny NYC also requires its third party partners to provide a safe and healthy working environment free of harassment and with the prevention of accidents and injury to health in any way arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work for Doheny NYC.

Other/miscellaneous policies, including on our community impact, sustainability practices, communications, privacy and other disclosures, and dispute resolution, are detailed further below.

Corporate Social Responsibility

With regards to corporate social responsibility, Doheny NYC believes in giving back, to the local community and to the environment. Our pins can be recycled for its scrap metal. We create packaging that could be reused as a jewelry box or other keepsake. Our goal is to create long-lasting, indestructible, heirloom-quality products. Additionally, the CEO prioritizes her mentorship to students and young professionals within the design community as well as her free or reduced cost products, consulting services, and/or other in-kind contributions to not-for-profit organizations or other firms committed to helping those in need.

Design

At Doheny NYC, we prioritize original work. It is the responsibility of our supplies and vendors that their work is original and that if inspired by other designs, the artist will keep track of those designs for purposes of demonstrating how their end product reasonably differs. Doheny NYC frequently uses client logos and other design effects with the permission of that intellectual property holder, and, accordingly, does not and will not infringe on a third party’s intellectual property.  

Data Privacy

Doheny NYC utilizes password-protected folders for design samples and customer protected information, including names and addresses, is in a password-protected folder device. Doheny NYC generally transmits information by email, which is password-protected with two-factor authentication. Doheny NYC does not take responsibility for the preservation or security of information sent by a third party other than in the context of a contracted-for project or role. Documents presented by Doheny NYC may be through email attachment or Google Drive, the latter of which is not for download but for access-only purposes. Any local copies created or saved by the recipient must be within its own password-protected folder. At the conclusion of Doheny NYC’s work with the third party, that third party must return and destroy all contents of that folder. If the third party wishes to retain a sample for future work purposes, such a decision must be made in writing in advance and mutually executed by a duly authorized representative of Doheny NYC, who will provide the sample design by email after receiving confirmation of the destruction of all documents.

Inventory/Inventions/Physical Assets/Assets Unique to Doheny NYC/Technology Assets 

Doheny NYC is a brand that designs and creates pins, accessories, keychains, and other salable products. Doheny NYC has created and/or continues to develop: 

a lapel prototype that is commercially successful and can be modified pursuant to client requests; 

customized and personalized designs for its products, including custom illustrations;

unique packaging design, including its physical and digital prototypes; and

the Doheny NYC name, brand, and customer lists. 

These are inventions of and/or the intellectual property belongs to Kate Doheny of Doheny NYC. In addition, Doheny NYC is in possession of physical and technology assets, such as computer hardware, software and systems, mobile devices and tablets, as well as product equipment, inventory, supplies, cash, fixtures, and vendor samples, as needed.

Gifts

We at Doheny NYC understand that product samples, entertainment, and other ‘gifts’ can create, build, and strengthen business relationships. Where we may have concern is where the acceptance of an offer could pose a conflict of interest. We ask that our staff avoid accepting anything that might appear to influence the decisions they make as associated with Doheny NYC. It is the individual’s responsibility to make a determination about when a gift would be acceptable versus prohibited. If the individual does not know, a request can be made in writing directly to the General Counsel of Doheny NYC. Such a request must be made, and its response/resolution provided in writing by Doheny NYC, prior to the acceptance of any gift in question.

Public communications & social media 

Doheny NYC staff are not permitted to post on behalf of the company without written permission from Kate Doheny AND only once the relevant design being referenced in the post is public, which, for the avoidance of doubt, can take years. Even behind-the-scenes footage, or other content that does not include the design, can only be posted after the release of a project and also with the express written permission of Kate Doheny. The existence of a partnership or business relationship itself must be kept confidential until made public by Doheny NYC. This prohibition against social media content does not pertain to public content unaffiliated with Doheny NYC.

Community commitment 

Doheny NYC believes in the value of community and contributes substantially to the surrounding geographic community in the greater New York area as well as the design community across the world. This includes active volunteering, at the discretion of Doheny NYC, through the form of the CEO’s mentorship to students and young professionals within the design community as well as her free or reduced cost products, consulting services, and/or other in-kind contributions to not-for-profit organizations or other firms committed to helping those in need.

Environmental sustainability / recycling 

Doheny NYC prioritizes waste-avoidant strategies. Where possible, we recycle and use sustainable materials and prioritize sustainable design-thinking. As just one example, we create packaging that could be reused as a jewelry box or other keepsake. Doheny NYC has decided to incur and accept resource-heavy upfront costs in order to create products that last and do not need to be easily repaired or replaced. The goal for the company is to create goods that are as indestructible as possible.

Accessibility Policy

Doheny NYC is committed to maintaining an inclusive and accessible experience for all users. For example, our website features alt text vetted and entered manually for every image by a member of our team, which can help those users who utilize screenreaders. In addition, Doheny NYC utilizes Shopify, which helps us create and offer an accessible experience based on different users' needs. We prioritize an enhanced user experience and do not prohibit certain accessibility options from browsers such as the magnification of text or increasing the contrast on our website.

We acknowledge that needs can change and that we have technological and other limitations to anticipating all potential needs. Accordingly, we are committed to ongoing improvements and hope users will provide feedback and suggestions through contacting us on our website. 

Dispute Resolution

Doheny NYC has a fractional General Counsel, who functions as the ombudsman of the company. The General Counsel’s client is Doheny NYC, and thus the General Counsel’s ethical obligations are to Doheny NYC as a company, and not to protect any particular individual or employee or contractor within or affiliated with the company. As the ombudsman, the General Counsel will endeavor to mediate and talk through the issue with the reporting individual without escalating the issue to the CEO or others unless the GC deems, in her sole discretion, that doing so is necessary. The goal of the process is to ensure that rights and morale are at the forefront with a focus on long-term resolution.

Compliance with laws/regulations 

Doheny NYC complies with all applicable laws and regulations, whether state, federal, or local, and expects its staff to do the same at all relevant times. Any concerns about violation of law or rights must be reported immediately to Doheny NYC’s ombudsman, its General Counsel.