SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING COMPLIANCE STATEMENT
Bridon-Bekaert, The Ropes Group1 (“BBRG”) welcomed the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the “Act”) and the duty that it places on businesses to disclose publicly the steps they are taking to tackle forced labour and human trafficking. BBRG is proud of the values it already applies to its global manufacturing operations, which includes at its heart, conducting business to the highest ethical standards with good social conscience. Nevertheless, we are not complacent, and committed to continually improving our practices to help in combating global slavery and human trafficking.
Our mission statement, “to become the world’s premier ropes and advanced cords solutions provider” around the World, is targeted through the creation of innovative products, but critically through the investment in people, knowledge and customers. In an ever more demanding environment, our global corporate responsibility is actively
supported by our shared corporate values, which has integrity at its heart.
Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain. BBRG is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all of our business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing systems and controls to help ensure that modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains.
Within our Code of Conduct, we reiterate that we will not tolerate or condone abuse of human rights within any part of our business or supply chains and will take seriously any allegations that human rights are not properly respected. Detailed due diligence is carried out before we engage with potential new suppliers within our business, which
includes asking them to provide evidence that they operate ethically and responsibly in line with our own Code of Conduct. Companies within our group are also required to complete an annual Risk Assessment to ensure all our operations are in accordance with BBRG’s core values. We have also commenced the roll out of a programme that will require our suppliers to comply with a Supplier Code of Conduct. This not only requires suppliers to comply with laws and collective agreements in their respective countries; it also requires them to support the values set out in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the core principle of which is that all human beings are “born free
and equal in dignity and rights”.
We have compliance training courses which are designed to assist employees to understand the principles, objectives and practical implications of our values and our Code of Conduct and to reflect upon personal responsibilities and behaviours. Update training will be delivered via an e-learning online platform. Employees who have become aware of any abuse of rights are encouraged to report via our Whistleblowing process which allows any allegations to be fully investigated. This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Act and constitutes BBRG’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31 December 2020.
Curd Vandekerckhove
Chief Executive Officer, Bridon-Bekaert Ropes Group