Boohoo : Modern slavery statement 2022

MODERN SLAVERY

STATEMENT

A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

CONTENTS

OVERVIEW	3
STATEMENT FROM CEO	4
BUSINESS OVERVIEW	5
KEY HIGHLIGHTS	6
SUPPLY CHAINS & TRANSPARENCY	8
PRODUCT SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAMME	10
POLICIES	10
GOVERNANCE	11
CASE STUDY: SPEAKUP	11
WHISTLBLOWING & GRIEVANCE
MECHANISM	11
GLOBAL RISK & DUE DILIGENCE	12
CASE STUDY: IN-COUNTRY RISK TURKEY	12
CASE STUDY: WAGES	12
MONITORING	13
TRAINING	13
RESPONSIBLY SOURCING COTTON	14
THURMASTON LANE	15
EFFECTIVENESS - CONCLUSION	17
DATE OF BOARD APPROVAL	17
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS	18

3

OVERVIEW

This statement covers the FY22 reporting period from 1 March 2021 until 28 February 2022. It covers our own operations and product supply chains for all of our group brands. It should be read in conjunction with the previous 2021 Modern Slavery statement.

Across the group it is a business priority to uphold the human rights of the people who produce garments for our brands. We recognise the risks of complex global supply chains range from poor labour practices, human rights abuses and modern slavery.

We are committed to protect worker welfare and human rights throughout the Group's global supply chain by implementing processes, procedures and partnerships while managing brand reputational risk to support the Group's "test and repeat" business model.

We have used a (*) to denote actions undertaken during FY21 (March 2020-February 2021). Where we have reported on actions in FY23 (March 2022 - February 2023) we have used (**).

Our test and repeat business model

Repeat

Most popular

items repeated

Concept	Sample into	Production	Delivered to
• Designers	production	Fabric is cut	customer
• Buyers	Turning an idea	and sewn	New items
• Suppliers	into a sample		delivered to
	and then an		customers
	order

4

FOREWORD

• Fashion supply chains are long, complex, and people are involved at every stage from farm to factory. The fashion industry faces challenges in transparency, health and safety, and human rights risks. Through the implementation of our own processes and key partnerships, we are committed to protecting the welfare of the people throughout the Group's global supply chain, empowering their valuable skills and upholding human rights.
  As a group of 13 brands I completely understand and recognise the importance of us using our size, scale and reach for good. Words can carry a lot of weight but action drives change. Our Agenda for Change Programme focused on driving actionable improvement across corporate governance, purchasing practices and broader support for suppliers across the garment industry. Over the last 18 months my team have worked incredibly hard to act on every one of our Agenda for Change commitments, which I am proud to say have been formally signed off as complete by KPMG.
  As planned, we published our Global Factory List, became members of the leading UK auditing and improvement programme Fast Forward, and registered with the Open Apparel Registry (OAR) delivering interactive mapping of our global supply chain. In October 2021, we became a signatory of the International Accord. Closer to home, in Leicester we were proud to demonstrate our commitment to UK manufacturing with the opening of Thurmaston Lane, our "Manufacturing Centre of Excellence" delivering end to end garment production that will champion high workplace standards.
  All of this would not have been possible without the combined commitment and dedication of my teams, both here in the UK and globally. But all of this work is only the end of the beginning, we have now embedded new procedures and practices into our daily operations, and we will continue to explore opportunities for partnerships and innovation that result in long term, measurable change. With a global supply base and diversity in the size and maturity of our suppliers, challenges remain. We are committed to continued supplier engagement to further drive improvements in our supply chain.
  We have been working with Slave Free Alliance (SFA) for a number of years and this important partnership helps the group consider salient issues relating to human rights and modern slavery. To ensure high standards and transparency, this year's Modern Slavery Statement has been reviewed by SFA. SFA provided feedback that was on-boarded by the Group to improve our reporting."

John Lyttle

BOOHOO GROUP CEO

5

GROUP BRANDS

ACTIVE CUSTOMERS

SALES

£1.9 BILLION

13

19.9 MILLION

EMPLOYEES	OFFICES	DISTRIBUTION CENTRES
5,901	6 COUNTRIES	4 UK SITES - 1 US SITE, Expected
		Launch March 2023

BUSINESS

OVERVIEW

Founded in the heart of Manchester's historic textile district in 2006 by Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane as boohoo, the Group today is home to a portfolio of innovative fashion brands targeting style and quality-conscious consumers with up-to-date and inspirational fashion. What started as one brand, growing extensively in the UK and internationally, is today a platform of multiple brands serving customers globally, generating sales in excess of £1.9 billion.

The Group's 13 brands design, source, market and sell clothing, shoes, accessories and beauty products targeted at 16 to 45 year-old consumers globally. In 2021/22, the Group had 19.9 million active customers. A test and repeat model is used by the Group. This means that we purchase small runs of new stock and if our customers like them we order more. We employ approximately 5,901† people directly across the Group and have offices in Manchester, London, Leicester, California, Miami, Prato, Paris and Istanbul. In July 2022, our Sheffield site became part of our distribution centre portfolio and is now under the ownership and leadership of the Group**. As a result, we now operate four distribution centres: Burnley, Sheffield, Daventry, and Wellingborough.

In the last two years the business has grown its brand portfolio and doubled its workforce. This includes the acquisition of Debenhams which is an online marketplace that has allowed the Group to grow into new categories such as beauty and homeware. The Group also reinstated its wholesaling business, which will see the Group's brands sold via Very, About You, and the Alshaya Group operated under the Debenhams banner.

NjHeadcount as of 31st January 2022