Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy
Effective as of March 26, 2024
Introduction
MergerLinks Limited is serious about our products and serious about our commitment to corporate social responsibility wherever and whenever we engage in business. MergerLinks recognizes that this commitment must also include actions intended to lead to the eradication of slavery and human trafficking worldwide.
Structure, Business and Supply Chain
The MergerLinks Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking policy statement applies to all employees of MergerLinks, and its worldwide affiliates and subsidiary legal entities. In performance of its core business, MergerLinks engages with suppliers, vendors, contractors, partners and other entities or individuals who perform services or provide resources for MergerLinks and its subsidiaries. MergerLinks intends that the policy herein be applied to any entity that works with MergerLinks.
Policies On Slavery and Human Trafficking
MergerLinks has a responsibility to be alert to slavery and human trafficking in our business and in our work with third party vendors and suppliers. Our Anti-Slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains.
Due Diligence Processes for Slavery and Human Trafficking
As part of our initiative to identify and mitigate risk, MergerLinks is committed to building and maintaining long-standing relationships with qualified customers, third party vendors and suppliers and to make clear our expectations of business behavior. In furtherance of these goals, MergerLinks has in place systems to identify and assess potential risk areas in our supply chains, monitor potential risk areas in our supply chains, and an Ethics hotline program to both encourage reporting and protect whistleblowers.
Supplier Adherence to Our Values and Ethics
With regards to our national or international vendors or suppliers, we expect these entities to have suitable anti-slavery and human trafficking policies and processes. We expect each entity in the supply chain to adopt "one-up" due diligence on the next link in the chain. MergerLinks has zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. We expect all those that we engage in business with to comply with our values and the law.
Training
To ensure the utmost respect for human rights and compliance with current social legislation we make this Policy available to our employees and third-party suppliers and provide annual training to all employees. In addition, modern slavery and human trafficking is included in MergerLinks’s annual Compliance training on a rotating basis.
Our Effectiveness in Combating Slavery and Human Trafficking
In order to assess the effectiveness of our modern slavery measures we review annually the following key performance indicators:
- Supplier screening
- Whistleblowing
- Management training levels
- Employees understanding and awareness of this policy
- Number of incidents reported
- Employee Code of Conduct
- Supplier Code of Conduct
Further Steps
In addition, we use the following systems to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any part of our business or with our vendors or suppliers:
- Completion of contract screening and review by the procurement team
- Use of payroll systems
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our group's slavery and human trafficking statement for the current fiscal year. It was approved by the board on March 26, 2024.
Patricia Elias Director, MergerLinks Limited