Modern Slavery Statement Analysis by

lenabartoszewicz — 2025-03-31 19:07:15 UTC

Link to statement: https://www.burberryplc.com/content/dam/burberryplc/corporate/documents/impact/codes-and-policies/burberry-modern-slavery-statement.pdf

lenabartoszewicz — 2025-03-31 19:08:14 UTC

Link to statement: https://assets.digitalcontent.marksandspencer.app/image/upload/v1718891693/1252_20062024_Adhoc_Modern_Slavery_Statement_2024.pdf

lenabartoszewicz — 2025-03-31 19:11:52 UTC

Link to statement: https://www.boohooplc.com/sites/boohoo-corp/files/2024-09/boohoo-modern-slavery-statement-2024-v2.pdf

2025-04-01 08:20:36 UTC

M&S has played a role in the formation of the UK Seasonal Worker Scheme Taskforce (SWST), working with the rest of the industry and with government to address the challenges of seasonal recruitment into the UK produce sector.

2025-04-01 08:22:19 UTC

Conducts human rights impacts assessments to identify key risk areas.
Implements a sourcing Country of Origin risk mapping tool to help decision making
Conducts Modern Slavery training programmes for both internal employees and supply chain partners
Collaborates with external experts such as the International Organisation for Migration to raise awareness on the protection of migrant workers in the supply chain

2025-04-01 08:22:59 UTC

This year M&S has...

Completed a review of their human rights issues at a country level and carried our targeted due diligence into UK operations covering; Cleaning and Waste Management, Facilities Management, Security Guarding, Construction, Warehousing and Operations and Logistics.

Continued use of worker voice technology across their Clothing & Home and Food supply chains.
Further strengthened their governance with the introduction of the ESG Business Forum.

2025-04-01 08:23:04 UTC

M&S's future plans for 2024/25 include colleague training, strengthening supply chain intelligence and capacity, identifying risk with third party providers, and industry collaborations

2025-04-01 08:25:55 UTC

M&S have a modern slavery risk assessment consisting of...

Detailed mapping of supply chains and operations
Desk-based research
Data from our audit programmes
Supplier engagement and surveys
Supply chain due diligence
Discussions with expert stakeholders through multi-stakeholder initiatives

2025-04-01 08:26:23 UTC

Human rights policy
Migrant worker policy
Child labour and young worker polic

2025-04-01 08:26:42 UTC

M&S continue to work with partners to tackle modern slavery, for e.g. Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI), ILO better work programme, and Modern slavery intelligence network (MSIN)

2025-04-01 08:27:12 UTC

In terms of industry collaboration they look to have a continued relaionship with schemes including : Stronger Together, Unseen’s Modern Slavery Helpline Business Portal, MSIN, the UK SWS Taskforce

2025-04-01 08:28:21 UTC

To ensure compliance with M&S's minimum standards, all supplier partners are invited to complete a questionnaire. This assessment covers the policies and processes supplier partners have in place, covering topics including employee health and safety, working conditions, social dialogue, diversity, child labour and human rights

2025-04-01 08:28:52 UTC

Audits:
The group conducts internal audits and daily unannounced traceability visits, including worker interviews focused on worker welfare

whistleblowing:

provide a confidential whistleblowing helpline to assist workers in our supply chain to work together to address fraud, abuse, and other misconduct in the workplace

training:

Training to suppliers and buyers, presenting Boohoo's ethical trade guidelines and expectations. Those ethical trading guidelines have been translated into local languages.

2025-04-01 08:29:28 UTC

Training programmes for workers and suppliers, focusing on ethical lractices, compliance with Boohoo’s code of conduct to enhance worker welfare.
Collaborations with NGOs and government bodies.
Boohoo’s Industry Associations incoude: fast forward, unseen (whistleblowing), Slave-Free Alliance, International Accord, Bureau Ver Tas.
SFA Audit- announced and unannounced .
Supply chain mapping to extend visibility of tier 1 to tier 3 production sites in China, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Regularly publishing updates on their progress, including audit findings and the status of their supply chain.

2025-04-01 08:29:48 UTC

Plans to reach full traceability of all raw materials by FY 2029/30. This will allow Burberry to assess and manage the social impacts of raw material sourcing

2025-04-01 08:30:20 UTC

M&S have a dedicated Brand ESG manager, who works closely with our own label Clothing and Home Ethical Trade and Sustainability teams and this year the additional resource has been added to the Brands Sustainability & Safety Team to further support the roles of the team. They continue to understand about brand partners through research and interviews, and annual reviews.

2025-04-01 08:31:34 UTC

Worker Wellbeing Programme (p. 12), Health Programme (p. 12), Worker grievance mechanisms (p. 13), Training and resources (p. 14) and Human rights due diligence ( p. 9).

2025-04-01 08:31:40 UTC

Using the Responsible recruitment toolkit - to educate suppliers and employers of how to employ ethically and transparently

2025-04-01 08:32:28 UTC

Boohoo reduced its global factory list from 1,286 in 2022 to 921 in 2023, working closely with suppliers to ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct.

2025-04-01 08:32:29 UTC

M&S have minimum requirements prohibit our partners from sourcing cotton from Xinjiang, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. As well as prioritising transparency in relationships with their partners ensuring minimum requirements are in place and are being met

2025-04-01 08:32:40 UTC

engage a third-party consultant to continue the supply chain mapping exercise beyond tier1 in key sourcing regions
to work collaboratively with at least 2 global NGOs to improve our reach and scope around key issues globally
review the current responsible purchasing practices guide and carry out periodic training on responsible purchasing practices for all relevant teams

2025-04-01 08:32:54 UTC

Burberry uses homeworkers

2025-04-01 08:32:56 UTC

Successful traceability pilot project in FY 2022/23 for cotton, wool and synthetics with key suppliers, using a third-party traceability tool

2025-04-01 08:34:27 UTC

M&S statement is the most indepth - whilst alot of information to digest it covers more than the others. It is more factual and less "aesthetic"

2025-04-01 08:34:55 UTC

The M&S modern slavery report seems to quantify their claims more with data than Boohoo's and Burberry's. M&S provide clear mapping visuals of high risk areas and are part of lots of initiatives and collaborations within this space.

2025-04-01 08:35:04 UTC

FY25 Focus Areas:

Continue to expand their global ethical and sourcing teams.
Engage a third party consultant to continue supply chain mapping exercise beyond tier 1 in key sourcing regions.
Address policy gaps and publish important policies to protect vunerable workers.
Review the current responsible purchasing practices guide and carry out periodic training on responsible purchasing practices for all relevant teams.
Training for all employees and new starters to raise awareness on human rights issues.
Work collaboratively with at least two global NGOs to improve their reach and scope around key issues globally.

2025-04-01 08:35:28 UTC

Boohoo plans to refine and expand supply chain mapping efforts, extending visibility from tier 1 to tier 3 production sites in regions such as China, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

The sourcing team has delivered cost price training to all buying and merchandising teams to enhance understanding of the details involved in open costing.

2025-04-01 08:35:33 UTC

All our supply chain partners are screened and assessed at the onboarding stage to identify any human rights and modern slavery risks.

2025-04-01 08:36:14 UTC

they use many tables to compare what they committed to do in 2023 and what they have done in 2024

2025-04-01 08:41:15 UTC

Boohoo’s supply chain mapping does not extend past tier 3, which means they do not look at the raw materials, where they are sourced, how they are sourced, and in what conditions they are farmed in?

2025-04-01 08:41:59 UTC

We continue to strengthen the breadth and depth of our human rights due diligence and Ethical Trading Programme, as well as implement the action plans resulting from our FY 2022/23 human rights impact assessment.

2025-04-01 08:42:36 UTC

they use many figures to show the reporting relationships between different groups/committees within the organisation

2025-04-01 08:49:11 UTC

Only 9 pages long, not very detailed.

2025-04-01 08:49:40 UTC

M&S Food Audit Programme identified 18 non-compliances relating to 'employment is freely chosen'. The majority of non-compliances were located in Thailand.

M&S Clothing and Home Audit Programme identified 4 non-compliances under 'employment is freely chosen'. M&S are using a independent ethical trade consultant to monitor these non-compliances.