For the financial year ended
30 March 2023 (FY22/23)
We are passionate about a cause that aims to prevent all forms of labour exploitation such as slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour. We know that it is in our aim to comply to such law as we are a commercial organisation that supplies a good or service.
We are aware of the importance of transparency within a business and supply chain and Sykes Seafood Limited actively supports and welcomes the Modern Slavery Act 2015, both as a legal obligation and as a morality right.
Each member of our business and our supply chain, pro-actively monitor the management of this commitment and aim to work to do right in our sector.
This statement has been approved by Daniel Wright and the board of directors and will be reviewed and published annually.
Daniel Wright
Managing Director
18th September 2023
Our Business
This statement is published in accordance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It sets out the steps taken by the organization to prevent Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking in our own business and our Global supply chain.
We are a Manufacturer and Distributor of Fish and Seafood. We know that due to the complexity of the Fish and Seafood supply chain, we are driven to constantly seek further control over the sourcing of our products by ensuring that we only obtain our raw materials from the highest accredited sources.
Our Head Office is based in Warrington, Cheshire. Our specialist seafood processing facility is situated in Liverpool. We have additional offices in Telford, Newcastle, Warminster, Wakefield, Motherwell and Ireland
Our company houses over 400 employees, split across 3 business units. Thus, encompassing all the Sykes Seafood sites.
Responsibility
As a company, we are proud of the steps we have taken, continue to take, and aim to take to combat modern slavery and human trafficking. We know that it is in our own responsibility to ensure that we are actively aware of the potential risks of this happening within our business and our supply chains alike. We are committed to continuously improve our practice and make our supply chain aware to ensure there is clear transparency and no labour exploitation in our supply chains or under any of the Sykes bracket.
We hold an Anti-Slavery policy which reflects our commitment to the cause and mirrors our commitment to ethical working with high integrity throughout all of our business relationships. We do so by ensuring the implementation and enforcement of an effective system which controls that no slavery or human trafficking issues arise within our supply chain.
Furthermore, we’ve ensured that policies such as Whistleblowing, Anti-Harassment & Bullying and Anti-Corruption & Bribery are in place. These policies apply to all our employees, and we operate them in a strict and monitored way.
We make sure that these beliefs are reflected in all aspects of our business. We ensure to make all aware, which can be seen on our corporate website. We detail that we are an organisation committed to demonstrating an ethical stance, adhering to environmental standards and only sourcing from the highest accredited raw material sources.
http://www.sykesseafoods.co.uk/why-us/
Due Diligence
Our initiative to identify and migrate risk has resulted in the creation of a number of strong and stable connections with a number of suppliers across the globe. These long-term relationships and joint ventures have been built on strong rapport as they too share the same values and are prepared to commit to an ethical stance and resilient code of conduct.
As a company, we have implemented systems in place that:
- Identify and assess any potential ‘risk areas’ within our supply chains
- Monitor such ‘risk areas’ in our supply chains
- Mitigate the risk of any slavery and human trafficking issues from arising in our supply chains
- Protect Whistle-blowers
Despite these structured relationships, there are times when new suppliers are necessary. New suppliers are assessed in terms of their vulnerability to hidden labour exploitation and to ensure that these potential new suppliers have the capability to comply to our beliefs and standards, we run a series of checks throughout a number of our in-house departments. These include BRC checks, credit checks and a requested visit to the site; by one of our most experienced staff members visiting the site we are able to validate whether they are a credible supplier that will actively adhere and share our ethics and values.
We are a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex). By this, we are able to conduct effective risk analysis of our supply chains, resulting in further assurance of the stance of our supply chain. All of our suppliers are therefore required to register to the Sedex system, thus allowing us to review audit results.
Supplier Adherence to our Ethics & Values
As an established organisation, we hold a zero-tolerance policy to slavery and human trafficking. We actively do so by having a Supply Chain Compliance Programme set in place to ensure that all in our supply chain, including contractors, actively comply with the ethics and morals that we set.
This is reflected by working towards the continuous goals that we have such as the development of our credible bank of certifications held by our suppliers which are reviewed through our supplier accreditation process:
- MSC (The Marine Stewardship Council)
- ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council)
- Global GAP (Good Aquaculture Practice)
- BAP (Best Aquaculture Practice)
We also ensure to adhere to local laws for worker safety, child labour and human rights and make it imperative that all members of our supply chain do too. We care for animal health and welfare and practice horizon scanning to ensure the nature of any emerging threats to product safety, legality, quality and authenticity in any given country or origin. We aim to ensure that our supply chain consistently comply to these factors also to certify a high level of transparency to our supply chain.
Training & Awareness
Furthermore, we ensure a high level in understanding of the potential risks involved with labour exploitation in our supply chains and business units to be available to all our staff and when necessary, our suppliers. We do so by conducting regular training with our staff, and ask that our partners provide the same facility to their staff, suppliers and providers alike.
To ensure we raise awareness of labour exploitation we have recently achieved the following steps in tackling modern slavery risks within our business:
- Training members of the HR team who attended the Stronger Together Workshop on Tackling Modern Slavery across the UK
- Creation of our new induction & onboarding programme to include ‘Preventing Hidden Labour Exploitation’
- Raised awareness of the risk of Modern Slavery & Exploitation through the utilisation of Stronger Together
- Introduction of employee voice through the implementation of employee feedback through various channel.
- Utilisation of various communication approaches to raise awareness of labour exploitation
By adhering to all that has been listed, we are confident that we only receive goods and project goods that have come from a traceable and reliable source. We only provide goods that have been produced by workers at their own will and prevent all forms of labour exploitation on a day-to-day basis. We regularly monitor and assess our supply chain at all angles to maintain a clear transparency. We ensure to make all employees aware and train them within this sector to ensure that our business continues to work in an ethical and moral stance in all areas.