Modern Slavery Act

Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc is committed to operating responsibly and establishing high ethical standards across the company. The U.K. Modern Slavery Act of 2015 requires companies carrying out business in the U.K. to publish this statement describing steps taken to ensure modern forms of slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in the company’s business operations and supply chains.

 

Modern Slavery Act Statement – Sigma Pharmaceuticals

Introduction

This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It constitutes Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc’s (Sigma) slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ended 31st August 2021.

Our Organisation

Sigma is a family owned company, registered and represented in the United Kingdom. Its Executive Board members are all professionals following the ethical and diligent principles set out by its founders.

Sigma has around 350 staff all of whom are based in the United Kingdom. Our staff are largely directly employed and are not in any category which is generally seen to be vulnerable to modern slavery in this country, so our focus is to ensure there are policies and procedures in place for our contractors and suppliers.

Our Supply Chain

Sigma is committed to continuously improving its practices to identify and eliminate any slavery and human trafficking in its business and supply chains, and to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business relationships.

Sigma uses a wide range of suppliers who supply goods for sale, provide services at events and support our operations.

Policies

Sigma has a number of policies which aim to minimise the risk of modern slavery in our supply chain. These include:

  • New Supplier Verification Policy which sets out internal requirements for buying goods and services. This includes a Responsible Procurement Process covering issues of human rights, child and forced labour and modern slavery, which Sigma’s suppliers are required to comply with; and
  • Whistleblowing Policy which encourages staff to report concerns including any related to modern slavery/trafficking and child or forced labour.

Due Diligence

We continue to monitor suppliers we believe present high modern slavery risks in our supply chain. This especially includes suppliers in high risk countries.

All suppliers which we class as high risk must:

  • complete our Modern Slavery Act Due Diligence Questionnaire which covers their governance, policies, training and supply chain management processes; and

For manufacturing facilities in the supply chains of high risk suppliers we request that the operators of those facilities:

  • provide independent ethical audits.

The Sigma Procurement team is responsible for assessing the information submitted by suppliers. Should a supplier fail to provide the information requested or to meet SIGMA’s expectations, SIGMA will take appropriate action, which may include not entering into a relationship or terminating the relationship with the supplier concerned.

Training

During the year, we have continued to provide advice and guidance to those teams who have direct responsibility for relevant supply chains and our Procurement team has participated in further modern slavery training. We also maintain a Modern Slavery Act Guidance document which is available to staff through Sigma’s staff handbook

Looking Ahead

Over the course of the next financial year we will continue to enhance our procedures to help us identify, prevent and mitigate any risks of modern slavery or human trafficking in relation to new and existing suppliers.

Approval

This statement has been formally approved by the board of Sigma and signed on their behalf.

 

Mr. Hatul Shah

Executive Director & Responsible Person MRPharmS MBA

Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc