At H&M Group, we recognise our responsibility to respect human rights as stated in our Human Rights Policy. This policy also covers the issue of modern slavery as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is a comprehensive definition that includes forced labour as defined by the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
Since 1997, we have been working systematically to address the risk of forced labour and child labour in our global supply chain. In 2015, we identified forced labour as one of our salient human rights issues. We recognise that the risk of forced labour exists in various forms in all countries and across our value chain. Over the past year, we have broadened the scope of our work, deepened our understanding of risk and put in place responses to manage risk.
We strictly prohibit any type of forced labour, regardless of the market or region. All allegations made about H&M Group, a supplier or business partner are investigated. If we discover and verify a case of forced labour, we take immediate action. For business relationships this will lead to enforcement action, and if prompt corrective action is not taken or adequate remedy provided, the ultimate consequence will be termination.
Modern slavery and forced labour are often linked to systemic issues. Businesses have a responsibility to prevent these issues from occurring in their operations and supply chains, as set out in existing and evolving regulations.