Modern Slavery Report 2022

Sourcing our products from ethical supply chains is of critical importance to us. In fact it is what differentiates us in the market. When choosing the products we sell, we are very selective about where they are manufactured and supplied from.

When doing a custom made order, our factories are externally audited by Sedex Global (www.sedexglobal.com), of which we are a member, for:
• Child labour
• Work conditions
• Award wages
• Environmental management
• Other credentials 

View our modern slavery statement here: https://modernslaveryregister.gov.au/statements/8238/

Like all major suppliers globally we are on a mission to improve all supply chains. We are not claiming that every product we manufacture and supply has been audited 5 levels down to the cotton farms, but that is our end game. Some global giants in the apparel industry are on the journey to clean up the supply chains.

However, to our knowledge, as yet, none have achieved full certification on all levels. We welcome the initiative by the Australian Government to implement the "Modern Slavery Bill 2018" legislation in October 2018 (https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018A00153)

The Modern Slavery Bill 2018 establishes a Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement for companies and other entities, to publish annual public statements on their actions to address modern slavery in their supply chains and operations. In a world first, the Australian Government will lead by example by publishing an annual statement covering possible modern slavery risks in Commonwealth procurement. Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, Alex Hawke, said the Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement will transform the way the Australian business community responds to modern slavery. “Large businesses will have to identify modern slavery risks in their supply chains and detail what steps they have taken, and will take, to address these risks,” Mr Hawke said. “This Bill will enable large businesses, consumers, civil society and government to work together to eliminate modern slavery in supply chains.

He went on to say “Importantly, we are asking businesses to report on both what has and what has not worked in their efforts to stamp out modern slavery.”

When we custom manufacture products, we ensure that the factories that are producing your products are audited regularly. When a factory does not look like it's certificates are up to a high standard, we do not (unlike many others) cut them off, but educate them on modern slavery to improve their workers standard of life.

Businesses and the Modern Slavery Act from STOP THE TRAFFIK Australia on Vimeo.

The Global Slavery Index’s 2018 report, published by the Walk Free Foundation, states that $127.7 billion worth of garments at risk of including modern slavery in their supply chain are imported annually by G20 countries, a group of nations that account for 80 percent of world trade. These imports help underwrite a global economy that trapped 40.3 million people in modern slavery in 2016, 71 percent of whom were women. Our vision at Ethical Merch Co is simple - We want to disrupt the supply from factories that have unethical practices and create transparency for global businesses so they know where and how their products are being made.