Modern Slavery Statement

‘Quality Assurance in supply chain’

Founded in 1894, RH Smith & Sons are a family business specialising in the manufacture and sale of fancy dress, costumes and accessories. Distributing to over 5000 stockists worldwide, we manufacture using trade partners in the UK, Far East, Europe and USA. Our head office and creative offices are located in the UK; Gainsborough & Leeds respectively. We employ over 150 people including our own staff in the China who oversee production.

With regards to supply chain management, RH Smith & Sons have adopted and implemented a range of policies and procedures in the selection and management of manufacturing partners to support quality assurance and ensure compliance with standards and statutes.

Suppliers must comply with a set of criteria prior to approval and must agree to the terms of the supplier contract.

Modern Slavery and human trafficking

In response to the introduction of the Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Act (2005) R H Smith and Sons have updated supply chain policies and ensured a comprehensive communications process is in place as follows.

Communication process:

• The statement on Modern Slavery and Human trafficking is issued along with other company policies in the staff handbook to all employees on joining the company
• The supply chain policies, including the statement on Modern Slavery and human trafficking can also be found on the company intranet
• All R H Smith & Sons staff have been presented the Modern Slavery and Trafficking statement in a company-wide communicator
• Training on all supply chain policies including the Modern Slavery and human trafficking statement is included in the induction for employees with roles relating to supply chain and quality assurance.
• Additional content relating to the Modern Slavery Act can be sourced on the link available to all staff via the intranet: Modern Slavery Act 2015

The Far East supply chain has been identified as our highest risk area. The following reasons were identified in particular:

1. i) cultural differences and behaviour norms
2. ii) geographic remoteness
3. iii) threat of trafficking in high volume shipping location

The following procedures and actions ensure that R H Smith and Sons are effective in minimising the risk of unacceptable and unethical working terms and conditions within our business.

• RH Smith & Sons have employed a team, located in China to monitor compliance with the supply chain policies and manage supplier relationships including working terms and conditions
• R H Smith have contracted an AEO registered company to fulfil logistic requirements in the Far East territories including responsibility for compliance and measures to prevent trafficking, maintaining container integrity and assuring a secure supply chain.
• Modern Slavery Act statement has been issued to suppliers and the Supplier Trading Agreement updated to include a section highlighting compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
• Updated ethical policies and codes of practice issued to all staff including Hong Kong and China offices and made available on intranet
• Supply chain management process has been updated to include the requirement that any breaches of the Modern Slavery Act identified by any member of RH Smith & Sons employees or its suppliers or service providers should be reported directly to management or via their respective whistle blowing policies.
• Supply chain monitoring process to be recorded and visible to supply chain management team including comments and actions with regular review on supplier performance and compliance with all relevant ethical policies and codes of practice in conjunction with the team in China.

Note: Wherever Modern Slavery is mentioned in the above, this includes Trafficking.