Modern Slavery Statement
A) ORGANISATION
This statement applies to White Stores Limited (referred to in this statement as ‘the Organisation’). The information included in the statement refers to the financial year 2025.
OR
This statement applies to all companies within and associated to White Stores Limited (referred to in this statement as ‘The Group’). The information included in the statement refers to the financial year 2025.
B) ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
White Stores Limited is the and has business in the United Kingdom.
The main activity carried out by the organisation is the retail sale of garden furniture and outdoor living products. Sales are conducted both through physical showrooms, telephones and via the company's website (whitestores.co.uk). Demand typically increases in the warmer months, reflecting the seasonal nature of the garden furniture market.
The labour supplied to The Organisation in pursuance of its operation is carried out in the United Kingdom.
C) DEFINITIONS
The Organisation considers that modern slavery encompasses:
- Human trafficking;
- Forced work, through mental or physical threat;
- Being owned or controlled by an employer through mental or physical abuse of the threat of abuse;
- Being dehumanised, treated as a commodity or being bought or sold as property;
- Being physically constrained or to have restriction placed on freedom of movement.
D) COMMITMENT
The Organisation acknowledges its responsibilities in relation to tackling modern slavery and commits to complying with the provisions in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Organisation understands that this requires an ongoing review of both its internal practices in relation to its labour force and, additionally, its supply chains.
The Organisation does not enter into business with any other organisation, in the United Kingdom or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to involve itself in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.
No labour provided to The Organisation in the pursuance of the provision of its own services is obtained by means of slavery or human trafficking. The Organisation strictly adheres to the minimum standards required in relation to its responsibilities under relevant employment legislation in the United Kingdom.
E) SUPPLY CHAINS
In order to fulfil its activities, The Organisation’s main supply chains include those related to the supply of garden furniture and goods from various suppliers in both the United Kingdom and China. We understand that The Organisations-tier suppliers are intermediary traders and therefore have further contractual relationships with lower-tier suppliers.
F) POTENTIAL EXPOSURE
The Organisation considers its main exposure to the risk of slavery and human trafficking to exist in it’s supply chains because they involve the provision of labour in a country where protection against breaches of human rights may be limited.
In general, The Organisation considers its exposure to slavery/human trafficking to be relatively limited. Nonetheless it has taken steps to ensure that such practices do not take place in its business nor the business of any organisation that supplies goods and/or services to it.
G) STEPS
The Organisation carries out due diligence processes in relation to ensuring slavery and/or human trafficking does not take place in its organisation or supply chains, including conducting a review of the controls of its suppliers.
The Organisation has not, to its knowledge, conducted any business with another organisation which has been found to have involved itself with modern slavery.
In accordance with section 54(4) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, The Organisation has taken the following steps to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place:
- review our supplier contracts to include termination powers in the event that the supplier is, or is suspected, to be involved in modern slavery;
- measures in place to identify and assess the potential risks in its supply chains;
- undertaking impact assessments of its services upon potential instances of slavery;
H) KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
The Organisation has set the following key performance indicators to measure its effectiveness in ensuring modern slavery is not taking place in The Organisation or its supply chains.
- No reports are received from our staff, the public, or law enforcement agencies to indicate that modern slavery practices have been identified.
- Whistleblowing policy. We operate a whistleblowing policy so that all employees know that they can raise concerns about how colleagues or people receiving our services are being treated, or about practices within our business or supply chain, without fear of reprisals.
- Standards of business conduct. This code explains the manner in which we behave as an organisation and how we expect our employees and suppliers to act.
I) POLICIES
The Organisation has the following policies which further define its stance on modern slavery:
Equal opportunities. We have a range of controls to protect staff from poor treatment and/or exploitation, which comply with all respective laws and regulations. These include provision of fair pay rates, fair terms and conditions of employment, and access to training and development opportunities
J) TRAINING
The Organisation provides the following training to staff to effectively implement its stance on modern slavery
Advice and training about modern slavery and human trafficking is available to our staff through our staff induction
We are looking at ways to continuously increase awareness within our organisation and to ensure a high level of understanding of the risks involved with modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and business.
K) SLAVERY COMPLIANCE OFFICER
The Organisation has a Slavery Compliance Officer, to whom all concerns regarding modern slavery should be addressed, and who will then undertake relevant action with regard to The Organisation obligations in this regard.
This statement was approved by the board of directors on the 1st January 2025 and is made in pursuance of Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and will be reviewed for each financial year.