Sealy International (“the Company”) is committed to limiting the risk of modern slavery occurring within its own business, infiltrating its supply chains or through any other business relationship.
The policy applies to all persons working for or on behalf of the Company, in any capacity, including employees, directors, officers, agency workers, contractors, consultants and any other third-party representative.
Sealy International expects all who have, or seek to have, a business relationship with the Company to familiarise themselves with this policy and to act in a way that is consistent with its values.
This policy will be used to underpin and inform any statement on slavery and human trafficking that the Company is required to produce by law.
Modern Slavery
Modern slavery can take many forms; it is a complex and multi-faceted problem including, but not limited to:
- Slavery: where ownership is exercised over an individual.
- Servitude: involving the obligation to provide service imposed by coercion.
- Forced and compulsory labour: all work or service, not voluntarily performed, which is obtained from an individual under the threat of force or penalty.
- Human trafficking: involving, arranging or facilitating the travel of another with a view to exploiting them.
- Child labour: whilst not always illegal in the jurisdiction in which it takes places, child labour involves the employment of children that is exploitative or is likely to be hazardous to or interfere with a child’s education, health (including mental health), physical wellbeing or social development.
All forms of modern slavery have in common, the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for commercial or personal gain and amount to a violation of an individual’s fundamental human rights.
Tackling modern slavery requires colleagues to play a part and remain vigilant to the risk in all aspects of Sealy International’s business.
How Sealy International seeks to Embed the Anti-Slavery Policy in Practice
To underpin the commitments laid out in this policy, Sealy International aims to implement the following measures:
- The Company will conduct risk assessments to determine which parts of the business and which supply chains are most at risk from modern slavery so efforts can be focused on the areas that are most ‘at risk’.
- Where appropriate, as informed by the risk assessment, the Company will engage directly with new suppliers in respect of the Anti-Slavery Policy in order to gain a proper understanding of the measures they have in place to ensure that modern slavery is not occurring within their own businesses.
- Contractual documentation will incorporate specific prohibition against slavery or servitude, the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour, and the use of child labour in line with this policy.
- The Company’s contracted suppliers will be encouraged to hold their own suppliers to the same standards. The Company will reserve the right to terminate any contractual arrangement if there is breach of this policy.
Breaches of This Policy
The breach of this policy by an employee, contractor, supplier or director of the Company may lead to disciplinary action being taken. Serious breaches by employees may be regarded as gross misconduct and can lead to immediate dismissal.
All colleagues will be expected to co-operate to the fullest extent possible in any investigation into suspected breaches of this policy or any related processes or procedures.
If any part of this policy is unclear, clarification should be sought from Sealy International’s General Counsel.
Status of This Policy
This Anti-Slavery Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis and updated to reflect legal and operational requirements.