The Modern Slavery Act

Our Business

Our business, Hammonds Furniture Ltd. consists of a Head office and manufacturing facilities in Hinckley, Leicestershire, a number of Regional Service Centre located around the UK and a mixture of around 35 retail stores and concession outlets again across the UK. Our retail outlets are a mix of Hammonds own branded stores and concessions partnering with other major retailers. 

Organisation's Structure

We are a manufacturer and retailer of fitted bedrooms and home offices. Hammons has its Head office in Hinckley, Leicestershire and employ c.650 people across the UK. We are not based, nor do we have any operations, in any country outside the UK. 

Our Supply Chains

Our supply chain partners are predominantly based in the UK but do include suppliers from across Europe and Asia.

Our Policies on Slavery and Human Trafficking

We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. Our Anti-slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place any where in our supply chains. 

Due Diligence Processes for Slavery and Human Trafficking

As part of our initiative to identify and mitigate risk we have: 

1. Put in place a policy on slavery and human trafficking

2. Given appropriate managers awareness training on  “Tackling Modern Slavery in UK Businesses and Supply Chains” 

3. The Company will not use any individual or organisation to source and supply workers without confirming that workers are not being charged a work finding fee.

4. Ensure that all staff responsible for directly recruiting workers are trained to be aware of issues around third party exploitation and signs to look for and have signed appropriate Compliance Principles 

5. Ensure that labour sourcing, recruitment and worker placement processes are under the control of trusted and competent staff members.

6. Adopt a proactive approach to reporting suspicions of hidden worker exploitation to the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and police.

7. Provide information on tackling “Hidden Labour Exploitation” to our workforce through their induction and workplace posters.

8. Encourage workers to report cases of hidden third party labour exploitation, provide the means to do so and investigate and act on reports appropriately.

9. Positively encourage and support employees and agency workers to report such exploitation which may be occurring within their communities by raising the issue of Modern slavery in our induction and employee handbook.

10. Require labour providers and other organisations in the labour supply chain to adopt policies and procedures consistent with the above.

11. Participate in Ethical audits carried out by Fast Forward.

Responsibility

The board of Directors has overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations and that all those under our control comply with it. 

Our Head of People & Culture has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, monitoring its use and effectiveness, dealing with any queries about it, and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering modern slavery.

Management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with this policy and are given adequate and regular training on it and the issue of modern slavery in supply chains.

Supplier Adherence to our Values and Ethics

We have zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. To ensure all those in our supply chain and contractors comply with our values we will put in place a supply chain compliance programme. 

Training

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we provide training to our managers and raise awareness to all employees through our induction and employee handbook. 

Further Steps

Following a review of the effectiveness of the steps we have taken this year to ensure that here is no slavery or human trafficking in our supply chain relating to workers we intend to continue to focus during the next year on our wider supply chain.

Our policies, practices and operations have successfully been audited via an Ethical Trading Initiative audit using an organisation recognised as specialists in this field, Fast Forward.

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our Group's slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 30th September 2023. 

 

Rekha Dhokia

Chief Finance Officer 
Hammonds Furniture Ltd 
Date: January 2024

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