Supplier Modern Slavery Statement
What is Modern Slavery?
Modern Slavery is an international crime affecting millions of people around the world. This growing global issue transcends age, gender and ethnicities. It includes victims overseas, victims trafficked from overseas and vulnerable people in the UK who are forced to work illegally against their will. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires commercial organisations supplying goods or services to publish an annual ‘Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement’ which should be published on the organisation’s UK Website which should set out the Company’s stance on Modern Slavery and steps taken to ensure that slavery or human trafficking is not taking place in it’s supply chain.
Our Policy
Our policy is to assess and address the risks of violation of anti-human trafficking and anti-modern slavery laws both within our own business and within our supply chain. We adopt procedures that contribute to ensuring modern slavery does not occur and we expect our suppliers and business partners to do the same.
Our structure and supply chain
The Rayware Group is based in Liverpool in the United Kingdom and is an Importer and Distributor of 6 famous housewares brands. We export to more than 60 countries. We have over 200 suppliers of goods and services domestically and internationally in Europe and Asia and in addition to this the firm works with a number of professionals, consultants and contractors.
Our Procedures
Within our own operation we employ robust recruitment processes in line with UK employment laws, including document checks, contracts of employment and checks to ensure that everyone employed is 16 and above.
We recognise that our business is exposed to greater risk when dealing with its suppliers, particularly those who have operations and suppliers overseas.
Our supplier Code of Conduct sets out very clearly The Rayware Group’s expectations for all workers within our supply chain to receive safe and fair treatment in the workplace. Should we discover any critical breaches in our Code of Conduct we would consider terminating our business relationship unless appropriate measures to remedy any issues are undertaken immediately. In incidences of Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking we have a zero tolerance policy and not only would we cease our business relationship with any business partner found to be involved in such illegal practices but we would also report any wrongdoing to the relevant authorities.
The standards set out above will be enforced by a combination of in house Risk Assessment procedures, Independent 3rd Party Audits and/or factory visits by our representatives or agents overseas. We have written to all our agents and representatives overseas both to alert and to educate and further discussions will take place with our overseas agents in the future when the Rayware Team embark on buying trips overseas.
Raising a concern
Rayware is committed to ensuring that all employees, organisation or persons associated with the company have a safe, reliable, and confidential way of reporting suspicious activity. Should there be any suspicion of Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking within our supply chain, Rayware have reporting procedures in place.
If you suspect that there is an instance of Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking activities occurring in relation to Rayware, employees are required to raise a concern at as early a stage as possible. If you’re uncertain about whether a certain action can be considered under this policy, you should speak to your line manager, HR or Senior manager to discuss raising your concern under Rayware’s Whistleblowing Policy Procedures.
All actual or suspected instances of irregularity relating to the scope of this Policy should be reported without delay through Rayware’s Whistleblowing Policy Procedures. Suspected instances should be raised as a concern to be investigated.
HRDOC- Modern Slavery Statement V1 - February 2023
Policy signed by - Kate O'Neill
Review Date - February 2025
