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MODERN SLAVERY POLICY - 2022
In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2018, this policy outlines the steps that GFP Events has taken, and is continuing to take, to assess and reduce risks of modern slavery within our business, our supply chain, and our plans for review and improvement.
INTRODUCTION
Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.
GFP Events recognises that it has a responsibility under the Modern Slavery Act to take a strong approach to reject any forms of modern slavery and human trafficking. We are committed to promoting ethical business practices and policies that protect workers from being abused and exploited, both in our own business and our supply chain.
GFP Events is committed to limiting the risk of modern slavery occurring in our business, ensuring there is transparency in our business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chain.
We expect our employees and our suppliers to share our commitment to help ensure modern slavery does not exist in our business and our supply chain.
Who we are
A supplier of graduation services since 1979, GFP Events provides a range of Regalia, Photography, and Keepsake items to University Graduates. GFP Events employs approximately 450 employees across Australia as permanent and casual employees.
Our supply chain
GFP procures goods and services needed for the business’s day-to-day operations from many contracted and preferred suppliers operating in Australia and oversees.
Our supply chain arrangements include suppliers from the following key areas:
• Regalia
• Photography
• Keepsakes
• Staff Amenities
The goods and services procured include gowns, hoods, hats, frames, plaques, plush toys, equipment, uniforms, and information technology.
Our long-term strategic relationships with key suppliers, provides a stability in our supply chain and procurement processes.
IDENTIFYING RISKS OF MODERN SLAVERY
Our operations
We believe there is little risk of modern slavery in our directly employed workforce, as the labour market in Australia is highly regulated.
Our supply chain
A significant number of our supplier’s operations are based in Australia. We believe these suppliers have a lower risk of modern slavery occurring in their supply chains, as their operations are Australian based; they are required to comply with the Modern Slavery Act within their own supply chains.
However, our procurement activities do include purchasing goods and services from suppliers who provide potentially high-risk products, such as, manufacturers of our regalia services, uniforms and plush toys.
We have personally visited manufacturers of regalia in India and China on several occasions. Those visits including inspections of factories and warehouses to ensure proper lighting, ventilation, and general working conditions. We can verify factories visited in 2015 and 2019 all complied with operating in suitable environments. GFP has enlisted one new supplier since Covid19 interrupted safe travel arrangements, and although we have not visited the factory personally, have forwarded a Modern Slavery Questionnaire for completion. We will visit the new supplier in China when it is deemed safe to do so. GFP maintain close relationships with all suppliers.
The responses we receive must indicate that their organisations and supply chains must follow an ethical sourcing policy.
GFP Events will continue to review our policies and procedures to ensure that we have sound governance process in place to meet our modern slavery compliance requirements.