Modern Slavery Statement
1.0 About Premier and Our Commitment to Opposing Modern Slavery
Since our launch in 1999, Premier Clothing Ltd has been manufacturing, and supplying staff uniforms for people working in the hospitality, corporate, beauty and healthcare industries.
Everyday thousands of people wear our uniforms for work and leisure with an incredible choice of colours and sizes throughout the ranges.
Our products are sold through authorised and approved clothing distributors across the world, whose brand values align with our own. These distributors then sell our products to a network of resellers who add print and embroidery decoration and provide businesses with professionally branded uniforms for their staff to wear.
Premier Clothing Ltd hereby referred to as ‘the Company’ not only employ individuals directly, but also maintain relationships with many different organisations in its supply chain and customer base. This statement is made pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (‘the Act’) and sets out the ‘the Company’s’ actions to understand all potential modern slavery and human trafficking risks related to our business, to what extent measures already exist, and what further measures may be required to prevent slavery and human trafficking taking place in any part of our business or in our supply chains. It sets out the steps which ‘the Company’ has taken during the period 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023 (FY 2023) to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in its operation and its supply chain.
We all have responsibility to be alert to the risks of slavery and human trafficking, however small in our business and in the wider supply chain. ‘The Company’ recognises that it has a responsibility to take a robust approach to modern slavery and human trafficking and is committed to preventing any such activity within the business or its supply chains.
‘The Company’s’ attitude to Modern Slavery is zero-tolerance. We are committed to opposing modern slavery in all its forms and preventing it by whatever means we can. Modern slavery
encompasses (but is not limited to) slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour. We demand all who work for us, and all who have, or seek to have, a business relationship with the Company and/or any member of our Group to familiarise themselves with our Modern Slavery Statement, and to always act in a way which is consistent with our tolerance and values.
2.0 Purpose of this Statement
Modern Slavery is a criminal offence under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. ‘The Company’ will not tolerate the deprivation of a person’s being by another to exploit them for personal or commercial gain. ‘The Company’ continues to work to the highest professional standards and comply with all laws, regulations, legislation, rules, and best practice relevant to our business and operations.
We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business operations and relationships, whether through direct employment, with suppliers or with contractors. We are committed to implementing and enforcing measures, processes, and controls to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking is not occurring anywhere in our own business or those of our suppliers or contractors. This statement sets out our risk and identification processes and the measures and controls which we are and will be taking to effectively implement our zero-tolerance commitment.
3.0 Processes for the Prevention of Modern Slavery
3.1 Recruitment
Most of our recruitment is done directly, through our own HR Department and departmental or hiring managers. We do on occasion supplement our own recruitment with agency support where necessary, but this is purely in the introduction of candidates, all interviewing, assessing, and screening is conducted in house and in the same way as direct recruitment.
We operate a robust recruitment process, including conducting thorough Right to Work checks for all employees to safeguard them against human trafficking or being forced to work against their will.
3.2 Supply Chain
We have collaborative and open relationships with all our suppliers some of which are European or international organisations. At present we are not aware of any of our current suppliers or contractors using or being involved in modern slavery.
We are committed to ensuring that there is complete transparency in our organisation and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains. We expect all our suppliers, contractors, and those with whom we have a business relationship to work to the same high standards and zero tolerance. We are currently in the process of developing and establishing new contracting and supplier processes which include specific prohibition against the use of modern slavery, whether adults or children. In turn we expect our suppliers to ensure such tolerance and standards are implemented and maintained by their own suppliers.
Whilst we do not believe that at present, we have any activities within the organisation which are at high risk of slavery or human trafficking, we are working to ensure that we have transparency within our supply chain and are currently in the process of mapping our supply chain to minimise the possibility of modern slavery occurring within our supply chains/contractors.
We will be undertaking the following measures:
1. Conduct risk assessments to establish the areas of our business and supply chains which are most at risk of modern slavery.
2. Communicate and ensure that all our suppliers and contractors understand and are committed to our Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy, and work to uphold our strong values.
3. Understand the steps they have taken to eradicate modern slavery within their business.
4. Develop and implement specific screening processes for suppliers/contractors before commencing business relationships.
5. Develop contracts with suppliers and contractors which enable us to audit and scrutinise activities and their own supplier relationships to satisfy our commitment to anti-slavery.
6. We may terminate the contract at any time should any instances of modern slavery come to light.
3.3 Employees
‘The Company’s’ Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy is included in the Employee Handbook and communicated across the organisation.
Departmental Managers and Team Leaders are responsible for ensuring that all those who report to them are familiar with, understand and comply with the Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy and with the introduction of our Learning Management System (LMS), we can ensure that all staff are given regular refresher training and new starters are trained during induction. Through the LMS system we provide awareness training to staff on the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and inform them of the appropriate action to take if they suspect a case of slavery or human trafficking.
4.0 Responsibility for the Policy
Ultimate responsibility for the commitment and prevention of modern slavery sits with the Board of Directors, who have overall responsibility for ensuring this policy and its implementation comply with legal and ethical obligations. This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis, at the end of the financial year.
5.0 Reporting Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking
‘The Company’ has a Grievance Policy which is available within the Employee Handbook. Individuals are encouraged to raise concerns internally to the HR Department.
Ian Milburn
Managing Director
December 2023
