Statement

Cartridge Save recognises that modern-day slavery and human trafficking is a worldwide issue and that the abolishment of slavery and trafficking is a global priority. Cartridge Save is committed to reducing the risk of slavery and human trafficking within its supply chain.

Introduction

The purpose of this statement is to highlight the steps that Cartridge Save has taken in the previous financial year and set goals for the following financial year, to reduce the risk that slavery and human trafficking is present in Cartridge Saves operations or supply chain.

This statement is made pursuant to section 54 (1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our company's slavery and human trafficking statement for the company’s financial year, ending 31/12/2020.

Our Business

Cartridge Save is an online printer supplies retailer, selling printer consumables to businesses and home users throughout the UK. We provide reliable product quality, excellent value for money and high customer service levels to all our consumers. Cartridge Save is a limited company registered and operated in Stockport, UK.

Internal Risk Management

Cartridge Save ensures that all our employees have a safe work environment that is free from discrimination, including gender, age, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability and national origin. In conjunction with this, we comply with all UK legislation, including UK labour laws.

Training

Key purchasing staff have completed training in modern slavery provided by the chartered institute of purchasing. This training covers methods of detection, applicable legislation and risk factors involved in slavery and human trafficking. Companywide training has also been offered through the internal company handbook which is provided to all members of staff and is covered during the induction process. Part of this handbook explains what modern slavery is defined as and outlines the company’s policies and procedures to prevent and react to (evidence of) modern slavery.

Due Diligence In Our Supply Chain

Over the past several years, Cartridge Save has reviewed its internal structure to highlight where the main risks of slavery and human trafficking might be present. Using the global slavery index, we were able to identify the slavery risk level of our suppliers based on their geographical location. Our current supply chain consists of printer cartridge manufacturers, distributors and packaging manufacturers operating from a mixture of low, medium and high-risk areas of the world.

From publishing and circulating a self-assessment questionnaire to our suppliers, starting on a yearly basis from the 2018 compliance year, we have been able to receive confirmation from all of our suppliers that they complied with local slavery and human trafficking laws. This questionnaire also highlighted that most of our high-risk suppliers frequently carried out regular site visits, document checks and audits of their own suppliers to check for violations in local slavery laws.

To ensure continued compliance from suppliers in medium and high (slavery) risk areas of the world, to comply with local slavery laws, Cartridge Save has included provisions in product supply contracts requiring our suppliers to not only comply with local human trafficking and slavery laws but to also effectively manage this risk in their own supply chain.

Cartridge Save’s directors have also completed site visits to most of our high-risk suppliers. These site visits showed the workers operating in a clean and safe working environment and did not identify any risks of slavery and human trafficking.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Cartridge Save does not tolerate any form of slavery and human trafficking

.

If provided with strong evidence that one of our supplier’s practices slavery or human trafficking, we will notify them of a 90-day deadline by which the supplier must provide strong evidence that the compliance issue has been resolved. At present we have not found any evidence of human trafficking and slavery in our supply chain.

Cartridge Save will never knowingly conduct business with organisations involved with slavery or human trafficking.

Year in review

Due to the global pandemic, in the financial year of 2020, Cartridge Save did not meet its goals to:

• Implement standardised company procedures for the use of external service providers and contractors, including but not limited to: builders, recruitment agencies, cleaners and electricians.
• Undertake further training for key staff to review what else Cartridge Save can do to tackle Modern Slavery.

Cartridge Save sustained contractual provisions forbiding slavery in the supply chain and encouraging a culture of whistle blowing.

• Anti-slavery provisions in supply contracts with suppliers based in medium and high-risk countries.
• Zero tolerance policies toward slavery in our upstream supply chain with deadlines and penalties for non-compliance.

There is no change to the company's sourcing policy that increases the risk of slavery in the supply chain.

There were zero whistleblowing incidents or public disclosures of slavery legislation compliance failures, in the scope of the company's supply chain.

Moving Forward:

In the financial year of 2021, Cartridge Save aims to:

• Ensure that all service providers, in low slavery-risk countries, have completed a self-assessment questionnaire if they are not bound to contractual slavery provisions. Service providers such as recruitment agencies, cleaners and electricians. Pursue any slavery-compliance deficiencies in questionnaire outcomes.
• Focus on the role of freight in our supply chain and begin a self-assessment process and ongoing dialogue with our freight providers to minimise their risk of participation in modern slavery.
• Source Covid-secure modern-slavery training. Cartridge Save will roll this out to key internal staff to ensure staff knowledge is current and raise staff awareness. Additional training may be provided for peripheral risks such as bribery and corruption, where applicable. Review progress towards annual goals, on a quarterly basis.

• Continue all existing slavery risk management measures including:

  • Anti-slavery provisions in supply contracts with suppliers based in medium and high-risk countries.
  • Zero tolerance policies toward slavery in our upstream supply chain with deadlines and penalties for non-compliance.
  • Staff education and awareness through policies, procedures and available training.

In the event that an un-mitigated slavery risk is identified, we will adapt our anti-slavery practices, controls, policies and procedures to ensure we keep pace with changing market risks.

At the end of each financial year we will review the success of our historical anti-slavery goals and set goals for the following year. By this process of improvement, we will reduce the risk of slavery occurring in the Cartridge Save supply chain.

Signed by :

Ian Cowley

Managing Director

1st April 2021