Modern Slavery Statement

The Wildsmith Collection opposes slavery and human trafficking in all its forms. We are committed to ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our business and, as far as we are able, that our supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.

This statement sets out the steps we have taken to

The Wildsmith Collection Limited

The Wildsmith Collection Limited’s Board is responsible for ensuring that the company has appropriate tax accounting arrangements in place and maintaining a comprehensive system of control over the company books of account and transactions. They have a duty to manage risks including those relating to direct, indirect and payroll taxes and to provide reasonable assurance that key business objectives and expected outcomes will be achieved.

Our attitude towards tax planning

We seek to balance our goal of sustained economic value creation with ensuring that our ways of working comply with current tax legislation. Our business has a strong focus on corporate responsibility, and we view compliance in administration and payment of taxes as a key element of doing business in the right way.

The company manages risks to ensure compliance with legal requirements in a manner which ensures payment of the right amount of tax. We engage external advisers to provide additional assistance with tax compliance, including for supervisory review of the company’s business risk strategies, as well as to review our internal processes and procedures. External tax advice is also sought where the tax treatment of transactions is complex, unclear or uncertain under UK tax law. The company does not engage in tax planning that does not support genuine commercial activity nor does it participate in artificial tax avoidance schemes to reduce its UK tax liabilities. The company does not seek to structure transactions in ways that give tax results inconsistent with their underlying economic consequences.

The level of tax risk we are prepared to accept

We have a low appetite for tax and regulatory compliance risk. The business regularly reviews tax risks and controls and this is overseen by our management.

We, with the assistance of external advisers as applicable, ensure compliance with tax laws and regulations both in the UK and internationally, and to ensure that we identify, and then mitigate, any significant tax risks within our business. By being compliant and timely in managing its tax affairs is the way the company looks to reduce its tax risk.

Our approach to dealings with HMRC

We are committed to being compliant with all UK statutory obligations, filing requirements and/or tax disclosures with UK HMRC. We try to ensure that our engagement with HMRC is professional, open and honest, and undertaken in a spirit of cooperation.

The tax strategy statement is published in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 22 and 23 schedule 19 Finance Act 2016. This covers the period ending 31 December 2021 and we review and refresh our tax strategy annually.

understand potential modern slavery risks within our business structure and supply chain.  It also sets out the steps taken to eradicate these risks. 

About us

Although we are not required to make a modern slavery statement under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, we are making this voluntary statement to show our commitment to ethical trading principles and to set out the steps we are taking to identify risks and tackle modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and in our supply chains.

Our commitment to ethical trading

Our voluntary statement 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 and that our acquisition of goods and services is carried out without harm to others. 

Due diligence and risk assessment

To help identify and monitor the risk of slavery and human trafficking in our supply chain we aim to vet suppliers and sub-contractors to ensure that they are committed to ethical labour practices. 
We aim to only employ agency workers through reputable employment agencies that adhere to slavery and human trafficking (or equivalent) policies.

Effectiveness in combating slavery and human trafficking

We use the following key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure how effective we have been at ensuring that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains: 
•    Percentage of staff receiving training on modern slavery within their probationary period;
•    The percentage of suppliers and sub-contractors vetted for ethical labour practices.
•    The number of reported breaches in the past year.

Training

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we provide training to our staff.

Monitoring

This voluntary slavery and human trafficking statement is reviewed annually in order to ensure we remain compliant with regards to our policy on slavery and human trafficking.