Chris Grayer
Head of Supplier Ethical Compliance
NEXT PLC
NEXT on Modern Slavery – The Importance of Transparency
Today’s fast fashion and polarised customer demand periods are changing purchasing practices, as well as supply chain structure and procurement processes in our fashion retail sector. Current supply chains are complex, multi layered and will inevitably involve sub-contracting, agency, migrant workers, as well as the risk of complicity, exploitation and even criminality and slavery.
This presentation will provide an overview of the brutal reality of the issues NEXT has faced as an organisation to tackle modern slavery. It covers the realisation and the impacts that modern slavery has had on NEXT, as well as the pathway and process NEXT has taken to provide transparency, implement due diligence and ensure effective remediation. This presentation shows how these actions will provide a sustainable assurance of workers’ human rights and protect the value of the NEXT brand.
The UK Modern Slavery Act (MSA) is a game changer. For the first time, accountability of supply chain corporate responsibility has been taken through the door of the Board Room, as the responsibility of the new legislation requires specific ethical commitments by the Board, to then be made public through a viable MSA statement. When combined with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP) of Human Rights, investors have for the first time been provided with a tangible metric for the measure of companies’ corporate responsibility performance.
The Transparency in the Supply Chains (TISC) included within The MSA is not just a legislative requirement. Achieving supply chain transparency is vital to achieve the process of effective management of due diligence to reduce the salient risk to human rights.
About Chris Grayer
Chris has been involved in corporate responsibility and quality assurance for the last 30 years during a career spanning 20 years in the manufacturing sector and 17 years in the retail sector.
Throughout his career Chris has worked for a number of prominent companies including Dewhirst, GUS, Burberry, Talbots Inc (USA) and for the last 6 years for NEXT PLC as Head of Supplier Ethical Compliance.