Bacardi is active in the UK through Bacardi U.K. Limited and its UK subsidiaries: Bacardi-Martini Limited, John Dewars & Sons Limited, and the Bombay Spirits Company Limited. In these companies, we employ approximately 925 employees across the United Kingdom.
Statement
Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking
FOR FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2022
Bacardi U.K. is committed to responsible labour and sourcing standards in order to ensure that we are producing and selling our products in a manner consistent with the needs of our key stakeholders and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. We believe that with responsible management of our social and environmental impacts, Bacardi will be an even better and more sustainable business in the long term.
We source high-quality ingredients and raw materials from many countries around the world, including those places where achieving good workplace standards, environmental protection and sound governance can be complex. Nonetheless, we want to ensure that the companies from which we purchase products and services are operating in an ethical and responsible manner and therefore have put in place robust Responsible Sourcing Standards based on The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code, the Fundamental Conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Our Responsible Sourcing Standards apply to all suppliers providing goods and/or services to Bacardi and encompass what we expect from our suppliers in terms of labour standards, human rights, health and safety, environmental protection and business integrity. We seek to gain agreement on, and compliance with, our Responsible Sourcing Standards from all our suppliers. They represent minimum standards, and we encourage suppliers to implement even higher standards within their operations. In addition, suppliers are expected to promote our Standards to their staff and subcontractors, and are expected to promote and assess compliance with the Responsible Sourcing Standards with their own suppliers.
We also partner with Sedex, the largest collaborative platform for sharing ethical, supply-chain data. This organization provides a third-party Audit Management Service which enables Bacardi’s suppliers to drive and report in accordance with an audit program based on Ethical Trade Audit Protocol (SMETA).
As a signatory, we are aligned with the principles set forth in the United Nations Global Compact, that encourage the adoption and reporting of sustainable and socially responsible policies. These standards guide our overall approach to Corporate Responsibility and how we communicate our progress. As the first principle in our Responsible Sourcing Standards, we make clear that employment is freely chosen.
- There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labor
- Workers are not required to lodge “deposits” or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice
As per Bacardi Limited Code of Conduct, we also aim to maintain a working environment in which all employees are treated in a professional manner based on mutual respect and free from verbal or physical harassment, intimidation or abuse.
All employees receive a copy of, and are trained on, our Code of Conduct and we also operate an annual certification system to ensure continuing compliance. In addition, relevant employees who work with our suppliers are trained on our Responsible Sourcing Standards and we work with our suppliers to ensure they comprehend and abide by our standards.
All of our contracts with suppliers require compliance with all applicable laws, Bacardi Limited Code of Conduct and our Responsible Sourcing Standards, which do not tolerate any form of slavery or human trafficking. We communicate any reports of slavery or human trafficking through our annual responsibility reports.
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for the current financial year.
