Anti-Modern Slavery Statement

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Our policy

The B&M group of companies prohibits slavery, forced labour and human trafficking of any kind in relation to our business operations and our supply chains. We support the promotion of ethical business practices and policies to protect workers from any kind of abuse or exploitation in relation to our group businesses and supply chains.

Our group businesses

We are a general variety goods value retailer with stores operating in the UK and France. Our stores offer customers a range of grocery and general merchandise products. Our group includes the following businesses:

• the B&M general merchandise retail stores business which operates throughout the whole of the UK through a store chain of more than 650 stores (‘B&M’);
• the Heron Foods discount convenience stores business which operates predominantly in the North of England through a store chain of more than 290 stores (‘Heron Foods’);
• the Babou general merchandise retail stores business which operates in France through a store chain of more than 100 stores (“Babou”).

Communication, compliance and risk assessment

In the last year we have taken the following steps in relation to our policy on anti-slavery and human trafficking:

• B&M has continued to communicate its Workplace Policy (a copy of which is available by clicking here) to suppliers along with B&M’s standard terms and conditions of purchase, which make it a condition of trading with B&M that suppliers adhere to our Workplace Policy standards;
• Heron Foods has provided its Workplace Policy standards to suppliers. Heron Foods standard terms and conditions of purchase also make it a condition that suppliers adhere to the policy;

The Group acquired Babou in the third quarter of the previous financial year. Babou is in the process of rolling out a similar policy and processes to the rest the Group.

Our Workplace Policy will be reviewed from time to time, and at least once annually, to determine if any changes are required and any further communication with employees and suppliers.

In relation to the Group’s assessment of risk, a balance is drawn between reasonable reliance on leading household brand name suppliers who have their own comprehensive procedures and policies in place, and, those where other forms of verification processes are required by our Group businesses or our sourcing agents. Heron Foods convenience food product lines are sourced from leading brand suppliers. A small number of foods are sourced direct from produce suppliers. These are from a limited number of major suppliers who operate highly mechanised businesses which are non-labour intensive.

The vast majority of products which are imported into the UK by B&M are sourced from China. These are mainly machine manufactured goods, as opposed to labour intensive handmade products.

Where necessary overseas suppliers are required by the Group’s sourcing agent to provide social compliance reports, which is being implemented in relation to non-sourcing agent procured overseas suppliers also. This provides a check on compliance with local laws and regulations including labour practices.

B&M’s main Hong Kong based sourcing agent and, where practicable, members of our UK buying team visit new suppliers also as part of our verification processes.

Heron Foods sell a limited number of products imported from China, which are procured from the B&M supply chain and benefit from the checks and verification processes of B&M and its sourcing agents on a Group basis. Also Babou is increasingly using the B&M supply chain where they are procuring imported products from China, and therefore benefit from checks and verification processes on a Group basis.

Consequences of failure to comply with our policy by our suppliers

In the event of any suspected failure by a supplier to comply with our Workplace Policy Statement, we will then investigate the circumstances of it with the supplier. In the event of a breach of the policy being identified as a result of such an investigation, we will review what appropriate remedial action we require the supplier to undertake and also determine on a case by case basis whether our trading relationship with that supplier should be monitored, suspended or terminated.

Our commitment

We continue to strive to find effective ways of improving communication and adherence to ethical business practices and assessment of risks and always welcome feedback from all stakeholders in relation to our business. Our policies, procedures and approach to verification processes are geared toward what we think are balanced and reasonable, practical and effective.

Approval

This statement is made under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and is our anti-modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year 2019/20.

This statement has been approved by the Board of Directors and a copy of it has been signed by Simon Arora the Group’s CEO.

23 July 2020

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