Modern Slavery Statement

INTRODUCTION

This modern slavery and human trafficking statement is made on behalf of Emelda Grace Limited pursuant to section 54(1) Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Modern slavery in all its forms, to include human trafficking, servitude and forced labour are crimes against humanity and responsible for untold suffering and misery.

Emelda Grace is committed to ensuring that there is no human trafficking or modern slavery in its supply chains or it’s business. Emelda Grace is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business relationships as well as implementing and enforcing effective controls and systems to ensure slavery or human trafficking are not taking place anywhere within its supply chain.

OUR BUSINESS

Emelda Grace design and manufacture sustainable, luxury outdoor furniture. Their furniture is made exclusively in the UK. World-leading outdoor technical materials and time-honoured British craftsmanship are used to create environmentally friendly, luxury outdoor furniture that requires very little up-keep.

The Blighty Furniture Company Limited is registered in England and Wales, company registration number 13459488. The company has one shareholder, Mr Paul Grassick.

• Emelda Grace operates in the Manufacturing and Import/Export sectors

• Materials for British made furniture are purchased from suppliers in Great Britain and Europe

• Finished goods (synthetic rattan and rope weave garden furniture) are purchased from Viet

  Nam

• Emelda Grace sells to domestic and international B2B & B2C clients

Emelda Grace aims to offer unambiguous and fair terms of employment and to provide its employees with opportunities to learn, develop skills and progress their careers. Emelda Grace honours all applicable terms and conditions of employment.

Employees are welcome to join a union, associate or bargain collectively without fear of discrimination.

Employees are paid a fair salary for the work they perform. Emelda Grace pays the national living wage or higher as well as paid holiday in excess of the statutory minimum.

Emelda Grace has a Whistleblowing Policy in place. Employees, as well as contractors, consultants, trainees, casual and agency staff can raise concern in relation to suspected wrongdoing or health and safety issues that are in the employee and public interests.

OUR SUPPLY CHAINS

British Made Upholstered Outdoor Furniture

Our day-to-day suppliers are world-renowned fabric mills, leading foam manufacturers, Aluminium extruders, FSC accredited timber merchant, freight forwarders, utility companies and maintenance suppliers. Our suppliers are sourced as close to home as possible, all suppliers are based in the UK or Europe.

Imported Furniture

As part of its portfolio, Emelda Grace offers synthetic rattan and rope weave outdoor furniture. This furniture is manufactured at our partner factory located in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Accessories are supplied through verified factories.

OUR POLICIES AND CONTROLS

As a company with an annual turnover under £36 million, Emelda Grace are not required to make a statement on Modern Slavery under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. This is the companies first statement and therefore do not yet have policies in place to support this statement however, work is underway to produce such policies.

Its current controls include working with industry leading British and European manufacturers as much as possible throughout its supply chain, in the knowledge that these companies act ethically and in accordance with applicable laws. For its smaller and International suppliers, as much as possible, Emelda Grace use proven suppliers recommended from within its extensive UK and Vietnamese networks. In all cases, a shareholder or executive management will visit the supplier before business is undertaken.

DUE DILIGENCE PROCESSES

This being the companies first statement, documented due diligence processes are not available at this time. Historically, shareholders and executive management have completed due diligence as follows

When visiting new suppliers Emelda Grace look for clean and safe working environments that offer adequate PPE and well-maintained machinery and tools. They request to view accident books, employment contracts, training manuals as well as employee rest areas. Wherever possible they will engage with employees to enquire about working conditions, pay, holiday entitlement, sick leave and the employment of minors and/or vulnerable people.

Emelda Grace is now working towards creating policies and systems to identify and assess potential risk areas within its supply chain. Its Whistleblowing Policy is the first to be produced.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS

Emelda Grace has a zero tolerance of slavery and human trafficking. To ensure all those in its supply chain comply with their values, Emelda Grace is now creating a compliance programme.

Up until this point, Emelda Grace shareholders and executive management have performed annual ‘drop in’ inspections of all its SME suppliers to monitor working and employment conditions.

TRAINING

To date Emelda Grace training has been based on its own ethics and practices, if a potential supplier does not match those standards they will not be used in the supply chain.

To further the knowledge of shareholders, management and employees, Emleda Grace is now developing an in-house training programme for slavery and human trafficking awareness. The programme will use resources to include

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)

https://www.gla.gov.uk/publications/resources/glaa-videos

The Independent Anti Slavery Commissioner (IASC)

http://www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/resources

APPROVAL

This modern slavery and human trafficking statement was approved by the Board of Directors of The Blighty Furniture Company Limited on 24^th July 2023.

Paul Grassick

Managing Director The Blighty Furniture Company Limited

24/07/2023

Emelda Grace | Document Title: Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement. Author: Paul Grassick. Last Review: 24/07/2023. Next Review: 23/07/2024