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QUIZ Clothing

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QUIZ Modern Slavery Statement

2022/2023

Introduction

QUIZ is a multi-channel fashion brand, retailing apparel, footwear and accessories, targeted mainly at the 18-35-year-old womenswear market. The core of QUIZ’s operations is in Scotland, United Kingdom with a centralised team in Glasgow, founded in 1993 and now employing around 900 people. Globally we have over 150 outlets, consisting of owned stores and concessions, alongside international franchise and wholesale partners. QUIZ has operations or partners in over 15 countries, with a strong presence in the United Kingdom encompassing 62 standalone stores, 72 concessions, and our direct online platform as well as selected online partners.

Our QUIZ private label is sourced from ten countries, mainly consisting of China and the United Kingdom. QUIZ does not own or operate any of its production facilities. Mapping of out Tier 1 sites, which cut, make, trim and store our products has been completed and we continuing to map Tier 2. Operations and logistics are supported by two distribution centres in Scotland.

QUIZ is committed to ensuring our products are sourced and manufactured responsibly, making sure workers in our supply chains tiers are not exploited. The responsibility for meeting these expectations is driven by the Board and remains integral to our core values through all departments.

This is QUIZ Plc’s sixth annual Modern Slavery Statement published in accordance with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Actions and Achievements

  • Following the completion of our Tier 1 supply chain mapping, we are continuing to map Tier 2.
  • Continued to work collaboratively with all our suppliers and factories to ensure we are raising ethical standards across our supply chain.
  • We have renewed our SEDEX membership and the use of SMETA audits via approved 3rd party inspectors to uphold our CSR commitments, minimising risk of workforce exploitation whilst maintaining business transparency.
  • Resumed factory visits by the QUIZ compliance team across our UK factories following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and now extending physical visits out to additional territories.
  • Continuing to collaborate and engage with various organisations including the Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol (AGM PPP), Trade Unions, Fast Forward, and the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI).
  • Enforced our on-boarding and screening process for new suppliers and factories, ensuring we do not engage with suppliers that have been rejected by other retailers for non-compliance with ethical standards.
  • Monitored and maintained our order tracking system providing insight to individual production addresses for all orders placed with suppliers and factories. This allows our compliance team to randomly check production addresses to minimise the risk of unauthorised subcontracting.
  • Maintained open communication encouraging knowledge sharing with our trading partners and industry peers to help identify any supply chain concerns across the industry.
  • Enforced our Restricted Raw Material Sourcing policy across our supply chain to ensure there is no sourcing of raw materials from global regions complicit with labour or human rights abuses.

Risk Assessment

Building long-term relationships with our suppliers has helped to create a sustainable supply chain, allowing our fashion business model to grow. QUIZ’s Ethical Compliance and Sustainability Manager drives our CSR and Sustainability programmes forward. We have already provided one to one support with our suppliers across Tier 1 to ensure our core priorities are driven and reflected throughout the supply chain.

QUIZ’s two core priorities are:

  • Supply Chain Transparency
  • Lawful, respectful working environments

Potential areas of modern slavery risk is focused on the garment manufacturing supply chain. Reviewing processes in Leicester, UK is supported by weekly visits which are proving beneficial. Our supply base owners and their management teams are constantly working to maintain alignment with the Ethical Trading Initiative Base code and exceed it where possible.

We are firmly making progress and constantly learning how to combat the global challenges associated with the task of eradicating of Modern Day Slavery. QUIZ, consistent with other retailers and governing bodies, remains focussed on the key common goals of transparency, traceability and governance in our supply chain. Collaboration and sharing of information with other brands with regards to Ethical Compliance are also initiatives which help to improve operations for the industry as a whole.

We expect our suppliers to follow the QUIZ Ethical Code of Practice, which adheres to the core principles of the Ethical Trade Initiative Base Code. This sets worldwide standards on labour practices, protecting our own workers, as well as those throughout our supply chain.

Ethical Standards

QUIZ plc is committed to providing good quality products to its customers and a vital part of this commitment relies on our suppliers to ensure that all goods are produced in a safe working environment where worker’s rights are respected.

QUIZ ethical standards and expectations are set out below:

  • QUIZ will only work with suppliers whose personal and business ethical standards are in line with our own.
  • QUIZ expects its suppliers to be fully compliant with local and national legal requirements in the operation of all business activities. This includes compliance with the specific terms of the QUIZ Ethical Code of Practice.
  • QUIZ expects all suppliers to provide their employees with a safe and healthy working environment. Health and safety and labour laws of the country of production must always be met.
  • QUIZ suppliers shall recognise the dignity of the individual. They will not use slave, involuntary, prison or forced labour.
  • QUIZ suppliers will afford the rights of lawful free association and collective bargaining to all employees, and the right to a workplace free of harassment, abuse, degrading treatment or physical punishment.
  • QUIZ will seek and identify suppliers who employ individuals based on their ability to do the job, irrespective of their gender, racial characteristics, colour, nationality, cultural or religious beliefs, age, or marital status.
  • QUIZ suppliers must comply with national laws and international standards that aim to protect the environment. This applies in both the country of manufacture and the country in which the product is sold.
  • QUIZ encourages its suppliers to provide training and education for its employees, particularly the younger workers, to enable those employees to better perform their jobs.

Please see attached appendix showing extract from our Supplier Ethical Code of Conduct.

Supply Chain, Auditing and Remediation

Our supply chain is currently divided into two separate areas

  1. QUIZ branded label

Any supplier manufacturing unit producing QUIZ branded goods has a mandatory requirement to complete annual audits. In order to reduce audit fatigue QUIZ accepts SMETA audits or other third-party audits from a limited number of recognised organisations providing they are from accredited independent bodies and can be uploaded to the SEDEX platform. Whilst certain areas of non-compliance will result in a supplier being suspended until the matter is rectified not all audits are considered as a pass or fail – most areas of non-compliance with the QUIZ Ethical code of practice are remediated with our Ethical Compliance Department. We recognise that some issues can take time to remediate, and require continuous improvement. While audits are helpful we recognise they are not enough on their own to address modern slavery risks and related issues. We will be delivering further training with our global suppliers and factory workers throughout the following year, to drive worker rights throughout our supply chain.

  1. Supplier branded goods

Suppliers producing own branded goods also receive our Ethical on-board pack and must confirm acceptance of QUIZ ethical standards and compliance via signed declarations. We are reliant on them to fulfil, implement and execute our CSR programme requirements across their supply base. We provide support where necessary to meet these requirements and assist in their task of constantly improving ethical standards to the ultimate benefit of the workers in their supply chain.

Policies and compliance

We are continually developing and improving our governance policies in respect of Human Rights impacts, slavery and human trafficking, whistleblowing, anti- bribery, sub-contracting, child labour, migrant workers, and homeworkers.

Future Commitments

QUIZ is committed in its journey to minimise risk and eliminate any potential for modern slavery violations across our business and supply chain. We have adopted an approach of constant improvement and will continue to develop our processes. Over the coming months some of the key initiatives will be:

  • Enhance our CSR and modern slavery training support across our various supply regions. This will help educate and support our suppliers / factories throughout the business to continue improving their standards and align closely with our goals.
  • Provide further training and support to our internal teams to educate and improve their ability to identify and address any instances of concern arising within their departments and areas of responsibility.
  • Update our Ethical Code of Practice and Restricted Raw Material Sourcing policies across our supply chain as we develop our systems and continue to raise expectations.
  • Develop and improve our internal systems to assist in the monitoring and identification of any potential violations with our Ethical Code of Practice and company policies.
  • Continue to network and collaborate with our trading partners, industry peers and other businesses to establish and share best practices and common processes.
  • Maintain and develop our relationships and participation with various organisations including SEDEX, AGM PPP, Fast Forward, Ethical Trading Initiative and others.
  • Enhance transparency across our business and supply chain and commit to wider industry ethical and sustainable pledges.

Developing and enhancing relationships with suppliers has been a key focus for QUIZ in order to make sure we have aligned objectives across the supply chain. QUIZ has benefited from improved working environments and social compliance across our suppliers, who are all striving to meet the standards that we have set. Our commitment to addressing and preventing modern slavery, achieving CSR compliance and meeting our sustainable ambitions remain a key focus and is supported at all levels within our business.

This statement has been approved by the QUIZ plc Board and is signed on their behalf by

Sheraz Ramzan
Chief Commercial Officer
20 September 2023


Gerry Sweeney
Chief Financial Officer
20 September 2023



Appendix
Ethical Code of Conduct Requirements

Employers are expected to comply with the relevant national laws, industry or collective agreements and any codes of practice.

1. No Forced Labour – Employment is Freely Chosen

1.1 You shall not use forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.

1.2 Employees should be free to leave manufacturing or residential facilities at any time when they are not working.

1.3 No deposit or identity document shall be retained for hiring, accommodation, tools or personal protective equipment or for any other reason.

1.4 You should not require employees to pay for any tools they use for manufacturing, or which are required for their personal safety.

1.5 Loans provided by the Employer to the Employee shall be subject to a written agreement between the Employer and Employee with clear repayment terms and always at an affordable and realistic repayment rate. Any loans provided should not be above 30% of the employees’ monthly wage/salary.

2. Freedom of Association

2.1 Workers have the right to join form trade unions or worker committees of their own choosing to bargain collectively.

2.2 Employers are open to such collective bargaining activities.

2.3 Worker’s representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.

2.4 Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

3. No Child Labour

3.1 There should be no recruitment of child labour – the minimum age of work as set in local or national legislation should be adhered to at all times.

3.2 Companies should develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable him or her to remain in quality education until no longer a child.

3.3 Employers should have a robust system to verify the ages of employees. Any such system should involve checking original identity documents and cross referencing with the employee’s photo. A copy of age documents should be kept on file.

3.4 Children and young persons under the age of 18 should not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.

4. Safe Working Conditions

  • A safe working environment should be provided for all employees. Necessary steps should be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health.
  • Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training.
  • Industry specific hazards should be taken into account and employees should be provided with full training in the use of any hazardous machinery or chemicals.
  • Access to clean toilet facilities and to clean drinking water should be provided at all times.
  • If accommodation is provided for employees then this must be clean, safe and meet the basic needs of the workers.
  • The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.

4.1 Below is a non-exhaustive list detailing the standard of working conditions we expect to be met by all factories carrying out production for QUIZ:

Building

4.1.1 The workplace must be safe and of sound structure.

4.1.2 The workplace must be well ventilated and lit.

4.1.3 Workers should be protected from extreme heat or cold.

4.1.4 Toilets must be clean and equipped with flushing and washing water.

4.1.5 There must be at least one male and one female toilet for every 2 floors of a building.

Food & Facilities

4.1.6 Food storage and preparation areas should be kept clean and hygienic.

4.1.7 Facilities should be provided for eating meals and rest.

Fire Safety

4.1.8 Employers should have a policy on smoking and communicate it to all employees

4.1.9 A fire safety evacuation plan should be in place with emergency drills carried out at least 2 times per year.

4.1.10 Fire exits should be clearly signed, free from obstruction and easily opened.

4.1.11 Stairs should have adequate and secure handrails.

4.1.12 There should be at least 2 emergency exits on each floor

4.1.13 Floor and roof openings should be covered or guarded to prevent falls.

4.1.14 At least one fire extinguisher with adequate instructions should be provided within every 75ft or per 1000ft2.

4.1.15 Emergency lighting should be provided in the direction of fire exits in case of power failure.

4.1.16 Fire alarms should be provided to warn staff of evacuation.

4.1.17 Fire extinguishers, hydrants, hose reels, sprinklers, smoke/heat detectors and fire alarms should be checked monthly for damage or obstruction and fully inspected by qualified personnel at least one per year.

Medical Provisions

4.1.18 Adequate and appropriate first aid facilities should be provided for employees in case of injury or illness.

4.1.19 Accident procedure should be in place to record and log any accidents.

4.1.20 There should be at least 1 qualified first aider on each floor during each shift and at least one for every 50 employees.

4.1.21 All accidents should be reported, investigated, documented and reviewed.

Chemical Safety

4.1.18 Adequate and appropriate first aid facilities should be provided for employees in case of injury or illness.

4.1.19 Accident procedure should be in place to record and log any accidents.

4.1.20 There should be at least 1 qualified first aider on each floor during each shift and at least one for every 50 employees.

4.1.21 All accidents should be reported, investigated, documented and reviewed.

4.1.22 Always aim to minimise and eliminate the use of hazardous substances.

4.1.23 Any chemicals or hazardous substances should be clearly labelled and identified with warning signs in accordance with their chemical properties and legislative requirements.

4.1.24 All chemicals should be stored, handled, transported and disposed of in accordance with its properties and legislative requirements.

4.1.25 Employees who are exposed to substances which may be hazardous to their health should be provided with full training on how to use/store and dispose of the substances as well as being made aware of the potential risks to their health.

4.1.26 Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) must be held for all chemicals and communicated to employees.

4.1.27 Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be provided to all employees handling chemicals.

4.1.28 Where hazardous chemicals are used, the area should be kept well ventilated and exposure should be monitored and kept below regulatory requirements.

Equipment/Machinery

4.1.29 You must ensure that equipment provided for work is suitable for its intended purpose, maintained in an efficient state and in a good state of repair.

4.1.30 All staff operating equipment or machinery should receive adequate training to enable to do so.

4.1.31 Dangerous machinery must be securely guarded.

4.1.32 Any emergency stop buttons should be clearly labelled and effective.

4.1.33 Boilers, forklifts, pressure vessels, steam pipes, and hot water pipes, should be regularly inspected, properly maintained and documented.

4.1.34 Forklifts should be inspected regularly and operated by authorised personnel only.

Manual Handling

4.1.35 No employees should be required to lift, carry, push or pull any load that could harm them.

4.1.36 Job rotation should be used where repetitive strain injuries could be a risk.

Living Wages

5.1 Employee wages for a standard working week should meet national legal rates or industry benchmark rates, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some additional income.

5.2 If any workers are paid at a piece-rate, employers must still record hours of work and ensure that employees are being paid at least minimum wage or higher.

5.3 Wages should be paid at regular intervals – at least monthly.

5.4 Before entering employment all workers should be provided with written and easy to understand information regarding their employment. This should include; job title, working hours, rate of pay, overtime rates, frequency of wage payments, work days, rest days, holiday entitlement and any notice period. This information should be presented in the form a contract and be signed by the employee and filed. The worker should also be given a copy of the contract to keep for their own records.

5.5 Employees should be provided with a breakdown of their wages for each pay period. This breakdown should include; hourly rate or piece rate as appropriate, gross pay, overtime pay, any deductions and net pay.

5.6.1 Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure are not permitted nor should any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without permission from the worker concerned.

Working Hours

6.1 Working hours must comply with local and government legislation and any collective agreements in place.

6.2 Working hours should be documented in an employment contract and communicated to employees.

6.3 Employers must have an accurate system in place to record all employee working hours. 6.4 Working hours, excluding overtime, should not exceed 48 hours per week.

6.5 The total hours worked over any seven-day period should not exceed 60 hours per week unless all of following are met:

  • This is allowed by national law
  • This is allowed by collective agreement freely negotiated with a workers’ organisation representing a significant portion of the workforce
  • Appropriate safeguards are taken to protect the workers’ health and safety
  • The employer can demonstrate that exception circumstances apply such as unexpected production peaks, accidents or emergencies

6.6 Overtime should be used responsibly, taking into account: the extent, frequency and hours worked by individual workers and the workforce as a whole. Overtime, in all instances, should be voluntary.

6.8 Overtime worked by employees should not exceed 12 hours per week.

6.9 Employees should have the right to refuse overtime without penalty or consequence.

6.7 Overtime should not be used to replace regular full-time employment.

6.8 Workers should be provided with one day off in every seven-day period or, where allowed by national law, two days off in every 14-day period.

7. No discrimination & equal opportunities

7.1 Discrimination of any form, based on race, colour, language, nationality, religion, ethnic or social origin should not be practiced.

7.2 There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

7.3 Employment practices and policies of the work place should afford all workers equality of treatment. Decisions or practices, which are based on unfair discriminatory grounds rather than on merit, will not be acceptable.

8. Regular employment is provided

8.1 All workers should enjoy security and stability of employment and regularity of income.

8.2 An employment contract or letter of employment should be provided to each employee. These documents should detail; employee name, place of work, job title, work days, rest days, notice period, hours of work and hourly rate or salary, and be retained by both employer and employee.

8.3 Employees should not have to pay any fees to the employer for employment either as a cash transaction or as a deduction from wages.

8.4 If hiring agents/agencies are used to provide labour then the employer (in this case, the supplier) must conduct audits to make sure the employment terms and conditions agreed by the agency and the employee are in compliance with local legislation and the requirements set out in this QUIZ manual.

8.5 The following employment practices are not acceptable: ‘At will’ employment terminations, termination without notice, zero-hour contracts, false apprenticeships or inappropriate use of self- employed status for lower grade workers.

8.6 Obligations to employees under labour laws and regulations should not be avoided through labour-only contracting, sub-contracting or home-working arrangements, nor shall any obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

9. No harsh or Inhumane Treatment

9.1 Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.

9.2 Employees must be protected from all forms of bullying, verbal or physical harassment, victimisation, discrimination or physical abuse in the workplace, whether from management, other colleagues or members of the public.

9.3 A fair disciplinary procedure should be established and adhered to in all cases of employee misconduct or unsatisfactory performance.

9.4 The employer should provide a written grievance and disciplinary procedure for the workplace and communicate this to all employees.

9.5 All disciplinary or grievance measures should be documented and recorded.

9.6 An appeal process should be implemented for employees facing disciplinary action.

10. Communication and sharing of information

10.1 Throughout the year you will be required to share information with QUIZ regarding the sourcing, production and manufacturing of the goods you produce for us. Please ensure such information is received in a timely manner.

10.2 Please nominate a relevant staff member to serve as the main contact to discuss matters relating to this ethical code of practice.

10.3 It is the responsibility of the person above to ensure that your company is fully up-to-date with local and national legislation and minimum requirements are met throughout the year.

10.4 Your company should be registered on SEDEX and have a completed SAQ (Self-Assessment Questionnaire) uploaded. A SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) dated within the last 12 months should also be uploaded to your SEDEX account for QUIZ to access.

10.5 If you are using third party factories or CMT’s for QUIZ production then 10.4 (above) also applies to these factories and it is the supplier/agents’ responsibility to ensure compliance.

10.6 Details of any third-party factories or CMT’s should be provided at our request.

10.7 (Exception 10.4 and 10.5) All of our product suppliers, including goods produced by third party brands (non-QUIZ branded) are responsible to ensure that the QUIZ code of practice is understood, implemented and applied by those production units for whom they act. Acceptance of this code of practice is a condition of business.

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