1. Introduction
Apparel Brands Limited is committed to ensuring that thereis no modern slavery or human trafficking in our operations or supply chains.We take our responsibility seriously to combat these issues and ensure ethicalpractices across all aspects of our business.
2. Our Business and Supply Chains
Apparel Brands is a growing brand house based in Manchester,UK, that designs, sources, and distributes branded apparel. The companyoperates from its headquarters on Hilton Street in the Northern Quarter ofManchester. We also operate a small sourcing office in Bangladesh and haveoutsourced operations in China and Turkey.
Apparel Brands manages and distributes several notablebrands, focusing on contemporary apparel and lifestyle products. The key brandsunder our portfolio include: Bench, Nicce, Hype and Farah. Products are soldthrough both wholesale and retail channels.
Our supply chains include garment manufacturers andlogistics providers and we work closely with suppliers predominantly inBangladesh, China, Pakistan, India and Turkey as well as those in the UK.
3. Our Policies
We have implemented several policies to ensure ethicalpractices throughout our operations, including:
• Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy: Outlines ourstance against modern slavery and our commitment to acting ethically in all ourbusiness dealings.
• Supplier Code of Conduct: Requires all suppliers to adhereto ethical practices and prohibits the use of forced, bonded, or involuntarylabour.
• Whistleblowing Policy: Encourages employees and thirdparties to report any concerns about unethical behaviour, including modernslavery, without fear of reprisal.
4. Due Diligence Processes
We conduct due diligence on our supply chains to identifyand mitigate risks related to modern slavery. Our processes include:
• Supplier Assessments: Evaluating potential suppliers forcompliance with our ethical standards before onboarding.
• Visits and Inspections: Regular review of SEDEX and BSCIaccreditation of key suppliers to ensure compliance with our policies.
• Training and Awareness: Providing training to employeesand suppliers on identifying and preventing modern slavery.
5. Risk Assessment and Management
We continuously assess the risk of modern slavery in ouroperations and supply chains. This includes:
• Identifying high-risk areas based geography.
• Working with third-party organizations to understand andaddress potential risks.
• Developing action plans to address identified risks.
6. Effectiveness and Performance Review
To measure the effectiveness of our efforts, we track keyperformance indicators, such as:
• The number of supplier visits conducted.
• The percentage of suppliers not adhering to our SupplierCode of Conduct.
• Reports received through our whistleblowing channels andactions taken.
7. Future Steps
We are committed to continuous improvement in our efforts tocombat modern slavery. Our future initiatives will include:
• Enhancing supplier training programs.
• Increasing the frequency and scope of supplier visits.
8. Approval
This statement has been approved by the board of ApparelBrands Limited and signed on its behalf by:
Richard Monaghan, CFO
20th January 2024
