Modern Slavery Statement
Introduction
We are a UK based company providing quality, budget-friendly baby and nursery products. Ickle bubba has grown from strength to strength, committed to expanding the portfolio of stylish, practical and budget-friendly products that are ready to meet the demands of modern family life. We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. This commitment forms part of a wider commitment to act ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and we will continue to implement and enforce effective controls and procedures to ensure that such behaviours do not occur in our business or that of our supply chain.
Organisational structure
The organisation is controlled by a board of directors with offices based in Swansea, Leeds and Cheltenham. The main activity carried out by Ickle Bubba is the selling of baby and nursery products throughout the year.
Labour supplied to Ickle Bubba is in the implementation of its operations carried out in the locations mentioned above.
Commitment
Ickle Bubba acknowledges its responsibilities in relation to tackling modern slavery and commits to complying with the provisions in section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We understand that this requires an ongoing review of both its internal practices in relation to its labour force and supply chains.
We do not enter 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 Ickle Bubba in the pursuance of the provision of its own services is obtained by means of slavery or human trafficking. we strictly adhere to the minimum standards required in relation to its responsibilities under relevant employment legislation in the United Kingdom.
Supply chains
We have a global network of suppliers from whom we source our production with a majority being based in China, Poland and the EU. Ickle bubba oversees quality control on a global basis by working with our suppliers to improve quality control measures currently in place to ensure a robust quality control programme.
Impact of COVID-19
During the reporting period covered by this statement, the COVID-19 pandemic had taken hold. For several months, the UK was placed into lockdown to stem the spread of COVID-19. This created several challenges for the Organisation, as it did for others across the nation.
Ickle Bubba welcomes the UK Government’s decision, as confirmed in April 2020, to allow for a delay of up to 6 months in the publication of modern slavery statements without the risk of facing penalty.
Weunderstand that the COVID-19 pandemic didnot adjust the risk of modern slavery to a level above that which existed before the pandemic, which is as set out under ‘POTENTIAL EXPOSURE’ above.
During the pandemic, our employees still had access to the grievance procedure to raise any concerns that they may have had.
In line with emergency legislation passed by the Government, employees have been paid Statutory Sick Pay during periods of self-isolation where it has not been possible to agree a temporary period of homeworking.
Ickle Bubba’s modern slavery risks were subject to the same monitoring procedures during the pandemic as at all other times.
Our Diligence Processes
Ickle Bubbacarries out due diligence processes in relation to ensuring slavery and/or human trafficking does not take place in our organisation or supply chains, including conducting a review of the controls of its suppliers.
We have not, to our 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,Ickle Bubbahas taken the following steps to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place:
- Implementing our onboarding system through audits and our diligence process
- Continuing to review our auditing process with corrective action plans with all our key suppliers to address the risk to modern slavery.
- Continuing to train our employees and encouraging to conduct training within their organisationsupon potential instances of slavery.
Ickle Bubba 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.
Implementing an on-boarding system and on-going auditing process
All new and current supplier are required to have and up to date social and ethical compliance audit on file prior to any purchase order being raised. Any attempt to raise a purchase order without and audit report on file is automatically blocked.
Our ethical and social compliance is fully implemented and on-going with suppliers submitting corrective action plans and SMETA reports for approval to our compliance officer.
Training our employees and encouraging our suppliers to conduct training.
All employeesat Ickle bubba have been issued with the social compliance policy that we send out to our suppliers on an annual basis. We encourage our suppliers to complete regular training within their own organisations.
We have a fire but firm approach to ensure that our key values, standards and expectations are met within a timely manner. If any member of our supply chain is unable or willing to address issues, we believe to be critical we reserve the right to terminate arrangement in accordance with contractual rights to do so.
Continued Monitoring
Our Technical team here at Ickle Bubba are in regular contact with our supplier to guide and assist them through any improvements need as part of their corrective action plans. All Audits received are reviewed by trained members of the technical team to assess whether results meet the standards we expect.
This statement is made in pursuance of Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and will be reviewed for each financial year.
Date of approval: 25th Aug 2021
Signed:A Beasley
Print name:
Job Title: Product Director
Date:25th Aug 2021
