Modern Slavery Statement
at Get A Grip
1.
ORGANISATION
This statement applies to Get a Grip studio (referred to in this statement as ‘the Organisation’). The information included in the statement refers to the financial year 2021-22.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
The organisation in controlled by two directors, and all members of staff work at the studio address. There is no organisational hierarchy amongst the staff other than the two directors. The organisation is a Real Living Wage employer.
The organisation is based in Birmingham UK.
The main activity carried out by the organisation is garment decoration. Specifically screen printing, digital (DTG) garment printing, giclee paper printing and embroidery. The organisation runs on renewable energy and ensures every aspect is run as ethically as possible and in the most environmentally friendly way it can. It only prints on organic or sustainable materials (organic cotton, recycled polyester etc) and has only ever used water based inks. Demand for the products and services is consistent high is therefore not seasonal.
The labour supplied to the organisation in pursuance of its operation is carried out in Birmingham UK.
DEFINITIONS
The organisation considers that modern slavery encompasses:
Human trafficking;
Forced work, through mental or physical threat;
Being owned or controlled by an employer through mental or physical abuse of the threat of abuse;
Being dehumanised, treated as a commodity or being bought or sold as property;
Being physically constrained or to have restriction placed on freedom of movement.
COMMITMENT
The organisation acknowledges its responsibilities in relation to tackling modern slavery and commits to complying with the provisions in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Organisation understands that this requires an ongoing review of both its internal practices in relation to its labour force and, additionally, its supply chains.
The Organisation does not enter into business with any other organisation, in the United Kingdom or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to involve itself in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.
No labour provided to the Organisation in the pursuance of the provision of its own services is obtained by means of slavery or human trafficking. The Organisation strictly adheres to the minimum standards required in relation to its responsibilities under relevant employment legislation in the UK.
SUPPLY CHAINS
In order to fulfil its activities, the Organisation’s main supply chains include those related to the supply of certified and sustainable clothing and goods from various suppliers in the United Kingdom, China, India and Bangladesh. We understand that the Organisation’s first-tier suppliers are intermediary traders and therefore have further contractual relationships with lower-tier suppliers.
All main suppliers and their lower-tier suppliers are members and/or Leaders of the Fair Wear Foundation (first-tier) and are certified to GOTS standards where applicable (first and lower-tier).
POTENTIAL EXPOSURE
The Organisation considers its main exposure to the risk of slavery and human trafficking to exist in its clothing supply chains because they involve the provision of labour in a country where protection against breaches of human rights may be limited. However, the organisation’s main suppliers are Fair Wear and GOTS certified, ensuring any such practices are unlikely.
In general, the Organisation considers its exposure to slavery/human trafficking to be relatively limited. Nonetheless, it has taken steps to ensure that such practices do not take place in its business nor the business of any organisation that supplies goods and/or services to it.
IMPACT OF COVID-19
During the reporting period covered by this statement, the COVID-19 pandemic had taken hold. For several months, the UK was placed into lockdown to stem the spread of COVID-19. This created several challenges for the Organisation, as it did for others across the nation.
The Organisation concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic did not adjust the risk of modern slavery to a level above that which existed before the pandemic, which is as set out under ‘POTENTIAL EXPOSURE’ above.
During the pandemic, the organisation’s employees still had access to the grievance procedure to raise any concerns that they may have had.
In line with emergency legislation passed by the Government, the organisation’s employees have been paid Statutory Sick Pay during periods of self-isolation where it has not been possible to agree a temporary period of homeworking. As with topping up furloughed pay to full wage, the Organisation took the decision from the outset of the pandemic to ensure that all of the workforce who were required to self-isolate in accordance with public health guidelines continued to receive full pay during their absence.
The Organisation’s modern slavery risks were subject to the same monitoring procedures during the pandemic as at all other times.
STEPS
The Organisation carries out due diligence processes in relation to ensuring slavery and/or human trafficking does not take place in its organisation or supply chains, including conducting a review of the controls of its suppliers.
The Organisation has not, to its knowledge, conducted any business with another organisation which has been found to have involved itself with modern slavery.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
The Organisation has set the following key performance indicators to measure its effectiveness in ensuring modern slavery is not taking place in the Organisation or its supply chains.
Ensure as suppliers are certified with the highest level of social and environmental credentials on an ongoing basis.
POLICIES
The Organisation has the following policies which further define its stance on modern slavery; Corporate social responsibility policy, environmental policy, supplier code of conduct, recruitment policy.
TRAINING
The Organisation provides the following training to staff to effectively implement its stance on modern slavery; induction training.
SLAVERY COMPLIANCE OFFICER
The Organisation has a Slavery Compliance Officer, to whom all concerns regarding modern slavery should be addressed, and who will then undertake relevant action with regard to the Organisation obligations in this regard.
This statement is made in pursuance of Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and will be reviewed for each financial year.
Signed
Lucy Perkins, Director
Date 22/10/2021
