Wacoal Europe Modern Slavery Policy

At Wacoal Europe we have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery. We are committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in our operation and supply chain.

All of our direct employ operations across the globe comply with legal requirements for the employment of and remuneration of all employees.

All of Wacoal Europe’s garments are made in factories which are 100% owned by the Wacoal Group, or with partners of long standing relationship. We deal directly with those factories and never through agents or 3rd parties.

Our direct supplier selection and on-boarding procedure includes due diligence of the supplier's reputation, respect for the law, compliance with health, safety and environmental standards, and references.

We require our suppliers to endorse such principles to demonstrate their opposition to human trafficking and modern day slavery and to comply with the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) base code as a minimum standard.

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Policies

Wacoal Europe operates policies that aid in the prevention of and identification of modern slavery and Human Trafficking.

Whistleblowing Policy - we encourage all employees, customers and suppliers to report any suspicion of slavery or human trafficking and report any wrongdoing without fear of retaliation.
Code of Conduct - We strive to maintain the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behavior in all areas of our business.

Supplier due diligence

Wacoal Europe will conduct due diligence on all new direct suppliers during on-boarding and on existing suppliers at regular intervals. This includes:

Independent Audits are regularly carried out on our garment manufacturers, which reviews their health and safety standards, labour relations and employee contracts in line with the ETI base code. This can consist of a WRAP or a Smeta 4 –Pillar audit. From 2023 these factories will be audited on an annual basis.
We visit all our Garment Manufacturers on a regular basis throughout the year.
Each of our 2nd Tier suppliers (Raw Material, packaging and logistics providers), sign an annual submission of a Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, including a questionnaire.
All our Raw material Suppliers adhere to the following specific requirements :-
- All products supplied have a valid Oekotex Certificate.
- If Metal items are supplied they conform to the EU NICKEL Directive.
- No cotton originates from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Xuar (Xin Jiang Uyghur Autonomous Region).
- No items contain Palm Oil or Latex.

We require that our suppliers:-

Do not use any form of forced, compulsory or slave labour.
Employees work voluntarily and are entitled to leave work.
Provide each employee with an offer letter/statement of terms and conditions/employment contract as appropriate to the market.
Do not require employees to post a deposit/bond.
Do not withhold salaries or pay for any reasons.
Do not require employees to surrender their passports or work permits as a condition of employment.

Our Recruitment & Employment Principles

We treat all staff equally; without discrimination and with respect for their human rights. All staff enjoy the protection of relevant law of the land in respect of their employment.

In particular:-

We bear the full costs of recruitment and do not charge staff fees for hiring, placing or promoting them.
We provide written statements of terms and conditions of employment to all staff where required by law. These documents explain everything in a clear and transparent way.
We support the right to seek, obtain and hold employment without discrimination and with complete respect for dignity.
We do not coerce anyone to work for us. When you choose to work for us you do so voluntarily.
You must prove your entitlement to work in the UK. However, we do not hold or retain original passports, identity documents or residency papers. You should retain such documents personally.
Everyone is paid regularly, in accordance with their terms and conditions. We provide a written summary of pay and deductions (pay slip) on every occasion.
Everyone has the right to join or not join a trade union at their complete discretion.
We provide safe and decent working conditions with suitable training as necessary. Our operations comply with or exceed statutory health and safety standards.
We provide formal grievance provisions through which staff can lodge a work related complaint or raise a matter of concern.
We do not impede anyone’s freedom of movement or their opportunity to seek employment elsewhere.

We will continue to inform and raise awareness of the issue of modern slavery and human trafficking within our organisation so that all employees can participate in ensuring we continue to comply with our obligations.

We highlight Modern Slavery and educate our employees through our annual campaign every October, as we highlight Anti-Slavery day on the 18th October. Through posters and our on-line Portal Bravo, showing examples and giving advice and clear contact details for reporting back any potential issues, both within the company, but also to support our employees in their local community.

Andrew Yeomans Geoff Embley

Global Supply Chain Director CEO

August 2024