At Consilium, we are committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking violations in our own operations, our supply chain, and our products. We have zero-tolerance towards slavery and require our supply chain to comply with our values. This statement is published as a response to the UK Modern Slavery Act and addresses the actions and activities that we have taken to understand and prevent potential modern slavery risks in our business during the fiscal year 2022.
Activities during 2022
During 2022, we have revised our policies related to how we manage and prevent modern slavery in all parts of our value chain. We have added a new policy, our People Policy, that establishes the foundation for promoting safe, equal, and fair working conditions for our people. Our yearly supplier follow-up has shown complete compliance with our policies.
About Consilium’s Business and & Organizational Structure
Consilium Safety Group is a world-leading solution provider of fire and gas safety technologies for the marine, energy, transport and building sectors. By combining safety expertise with intelligent detection, we contribute to protecting lives, values and the planet through technology. We consider our people with their leadership and functional skills as well as their sector knowledge to be our greatest asset. While our products are built with electronics that we receive from our suppliers, Consilium is unique in having R&D, our own products, production, distribution and service – as well as after sales – all in-house. Consilium has over 900 employees across 29 countries.
Policies in relation to slavery and human trafficking
Consilium’s work to manage and prevent modern slavery is an essential part of our company and governed by a set of framework documents including our Code of Conduct, Supplier Code of Conduct, People Policy and Whistleblower Policy described below.
Our People Policy establishes the foundation for promoting safe, equal, and fair working conditions for our people. It constitutes the foundation for all People directives, processes and guidelines in Consilium’s Mission Statement and is closely integrated with Consilium’s business strategy, code of conduct, values and culture. The purpose of the Policy is to describe the management commitment regarding our people and applies to all employees and any non-employees working at Consilium’s premises or who may be otherwise affected by our activities. We require that our business partners also respect the principles of this policy.
Our Code of Conduct describes the ethical guidelines that underpin the Group’s operations, what is expected of all employees and how the company deals with its partners. The Code of Conduct includes principles within the following areas: Anti-bribery, labor standards and human rights, environmental sustainability and compliance, enforcement, and reporting. While each of us is expected to comply with this Code we also need to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Our Supplier Code of Conduct sets forth Consilium’s core principles applicable to the suppliers and third-party contractors on key issues in three general areas: anti-corruption and ethics, labor standards and human rights, and the environment. The Supplier Code of Conduct is applicable to all business relations, i.e., agents, distributors, partners, subcontractors, etc. The Supplier Code of Conduct is based on internationally agreed regulations and standards, such as the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s Core Conventions on Labour Standards.
Our Whistleblowing Policy describes the process for reporting serious misconduct at Consilium. The policy encourages employees to raise concerns about wrongdoing within or related to Consilium and applies to all employees, managers, executive officers, and members of the board of directors at Consilium Safety Group.
Due diligence processes
Consilium expects all partnering companies’ management to see, approve and work actively to adhere to the standards and principles set in the Consilium’s Supplier Code of Conduct. Suppliers shall have in place their own policies and procedures to ensure that the risk of forced labour and human trafficking is minimized. We expect suppliers to illustrate the steps that they take to identify key areas of vulnerability and risk, in relation to forced labour and human trafficking.
We monitor supplier adherence to our Supplier Code of Conduct by performing audits, through supplier self-assessments and requests for information or data related to our suppliers’ performance.
Components for our products and systems are sourced from mainly European suppliers, which are audited at least every third year for business quality, processes, and certifications. During 2022, we conducted 8 supplier audits to make sure that our suppliers deliver products that have been manufactured under the right circumstances. In our yearly supplier follow-up relating to our Supplier Code of Conduct, we expect full compliance.
Consilium’s highest potential risk for modern slavery is in the supply chain if the materials and components in our products were to be sourced or produced under conditions that do not respect human rights and where decent working conditions are lacking. All human rights, including decent working conditions, need to be safeguarded not only in our own operation, but also in the operations of our business partners and suppliers.
If a supplier deviates from Consilium’s requirements, appropriate corrective and preventative actions will be taken. Suppliers who do not implement such appropriate corrective and preventative actions, or who have critical deviations against the Supplier Code of Conduct, will be excluded from current and future business with Consilium. Transparency is expected, and Consilium Safety Group welcomes suppliers to share information where expectations and requirements might have been infringed.
We measure the number of cases of corruption and bribery reported through our whistleblowing channel and other channels. In 2022, one case regarding suspected bribery was reported. A thorough third-party investigation concluded that there was no misconduct, and the case was closed without further action.
Training on modern slavery and trafficking awareness
Consilium Safety Group has implemented a Compliance Program throughout the Group, that includes our Code of Conduct, Supplier Code of Conduct and Whistleblower Policy. The Compliance Program enables all employees to comply with applicable legislation and conduct business in an ethical manner. The goal is that all employees have completed the program, which is monitored yearly through training and tests in our tool Learnster. The compliance program training is mandatory for all employees in every company within the Group. The Managing Director in each market or product company is responsible for employees completing the program.
Philip Isell Lind af Hageby
President and CEO
Consilium Safety Group
2023-01-19