01 Policy Statement
Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes many forms, including slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labor, and human trafficking — all of which involve the deprivation of a person's liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.
International Business and Quality Management Institute LLC takes a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery, and we are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all of our business dealings and relationships, as well as implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery does not exist anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains.
We are also committed to ensuring transparency in our own operations and in our approach to combating modern slavery throughout our supply chains, in accordance with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act.
We expect the same high standards from all of our contractors, suppliers, and other business partners. We will continue to include specific prohibitions against the use of forced, compulsory, or trafficked labor — as well as anyone held in slavery or servitude, whether adults or children — in our contracting processes. We expect our suppliers to hold their own suppliers to the same high standards.
02 Policy Responsibilities
International Business and Quality Management Institute LLC is ultimately responsible for ensuring that this policy conforms with our legal and ethical commitments, as well as that all people under our control abide by it.
International Business and Quality Management Institute LLC is in charge of implementing this policy on a daily basis, monitoring its usage and effectiveness, dealing with any questions about it, and reviewing internal control systems and processes to ensure they are successful in combating modern slavery.
Management at all levels is responsible for ensuring that people reporting to them understand and comply with this policy, as well as that they receive proper and ongoing training on it and the subject of modern slavery in supply chains.
You are welcome to comment on this policy and offer ways to improve it. Any comments, suggestions, or queries are encouraged and should be addressed to Melissa Hayes.
03 Policy Compliance
You must read, understand, and enforce this policy. The prevention, identification, and reporting of modern slavery in any element of our company or supply chains is the duty of everyone who works for us or is under our authority.
You must refrain from engaging in any action that might lead to or imply a violation of this policy.
If you feel or suspect that a conflict with this policy has happened or will occur in the future, you must contact your line manager or a business director as soon as possible. You are urged to express concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any aspect of our business or any supplier tier's supply chain as soon as possible. If you feel or suspect a violation of this policy has occurred or may occur, you must alert your line manager or a company director as soon as possible, or report it in accordance with our Whistleblowing Policy.
Where appropriate, and with the welfare and safety of local workers as a priority, we will give support and guidance to our suppliers to help them address coercive, abusive, and exploitative work practices in their own business and supply chains.
We want to promote transparency and will assist anybody who expresses serious concerns in good faith under this policy, even if those concerns turn out to be incorrect. We are dedicated to ensuring that no one experiences any adverse treatment as a result of reporting in good faith their concern that modern slavery in any form is or may be occurring in any section of our own business or in any of our supplier networks.
Dismissal, disciplinary action, threats, or other unfavorable treatment as a result of voicing a concern is considered detrimental treatment. If you suspect you have been subjected to such treatment, you should immediately notify your line manager. If the problem is not resolved, and you are an employee, you should file a formal complaint.
04 Communication & Awareness
Training on this policy, as well as the threat our company faces from modern slavery in its supply chains, is part of the induction process for all new employees. Updates will be offered through established channels of communication between the company and its people.
Our zero-tolerance stance on modern slavery must be conveyed to all suppliers, contractors, and business partners from the beginning of our commercial engagement with them and reinforced as needed subsequently.
05 Policy Breaches
Any employee who violates this policy may face disciplinary action, which may result in dismissal for misconduct. If other persons or organizations working on our behalf violate this policy, we reserve the right to terminate our relationship with them with immediate effect.
06 Review
This Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy will be reviewed by the Company's Board of Directors on a regular basis and may be amended from time to time.