5 July 2024
general
What does slavery look like today?
Would you know it if you saw it on a tea plantation in Rwanda, or in the woodlands of Eastern Europe where elderflowers are collected from the wild? Usually it’s hidden, but there are signs to look for. And what would you do if you did see something worrying?
When we wrote our first Statement on Modern Slavery, we identified the opportunity that these moments present, and committed to training for those of us who travel across the world to visit potential and established suppliers.
Most courses on modern slavery teach participants how to read the legislation, how to protect brand image, how to push the responsibility down the supply chain. Training on how to spot the warning signs in a hands-on, front-line situation didn’t seem to exist.
So we approached the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) – experts in this field – and together we devised a bespoke training day focusing specifically on what to look for when visiting suppliers.
“Progressive companies understand that improving working conditions in supply chains is not only good for workers, it’s also good for the business. They also realise that it is of increasing importance to their customers.” Luca Ponzetta, ETI’s Training Manager.
Some of our client companies shared our concerns and our intention to go the extra mile on this topic, and were keen to join us. As well as learning from the impressive experience and knowledge of our trainer from ETI, we were able to share our ideas and concerns with one another.
Taking this open and collaborative approach – speaking about real-world experiences and live risks in a confidential setting – is unusual in business, but it undoubtably made the workshops more valuable. We’re fortunate to work with customers who share our commitment to business as a force for good. No-one wants their tea or their moisturiser to be produced on another person’s forced overtime or pittance wage.
Partnerships with suppliers are even more crucial; openness and dialogue with them is the foundation of our success in trading ethically. Modern slavery is a complex challenge, best tackled with local knowledge, and our best shot at doing something to be part of the solution is to cooperate.
Today, as we publish an updated Modern Slavery Statement, we commit to further training, ensuring that newer members of staff have the skills they need and that we all remain vigilant. The training sits alongside plans for a comprehensive risk assessment, to enhance our existing programme of audits and accreditations, and a whistle-blowing protocol for anonymous reporting.
The targets we’ve set ourselves are realistic and meaningful, and we’re ready to be held accountable to them. If you take the time to read our statement, we’d be keen to hear your feedback.