Introduction
Global is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and to ensuring that modern slavery and human trafficking does not take place in our business. This statement sets out the steps we took in our last financial year to address the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our organisation and supply chains.
This statement is made on behalf of Global Media & Entertainment Limited (company number: 6251684), the Global group parent company, and its UK subsidiary companies
Our business
The Global group of companies is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment groups incorporating radio, outdoor advertising and our digital advertising platform, DAX. Global has over 2000 employees worldwide and operates in the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, North America and Canada.
Our supply chain and due diligence
Global’s supply chain includes a wide variety of suppliers and third-party contractors across our different business lines. Our key suppliers for the financial year ending March 2022 supplied us with goods and services in the following areas:
• outdoor advertising inventory – rentals and asset build
• outdoor advertising inventory
• radio transmission and distribution
• contractor services including construction, fixing and maintenance
• outdoor advertising collateral design, production and print
• events and broadcasting
• property and facilities management
• professional and consultancy advisory
• IT/ technology services
We recognise that the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking are highest in our outdoor advertising operations where we engage third-party contractors in relation to the construction, maintenance and posting of advertisements on outdoor advertising sites across the UK which include roadside locations, the national rail and London Underground networks and transport assets including trains, buses and trams. Our contractors work in potentially hazardous environments, often at night.
Global chooses to work with suppliers that meet our own high business standards. We vet our higher risk supply partners and our standard supply contracts require our suppliers to comply with all applicable laws, including the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and our Supplier Code of Conduct. In our last financial year, we updated the Supplier Code of Conduct, including the provisions relating to modern slavery and ethical employment. The Code reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains.
Our policies on slavery and human trafficking
We recognise that respecting human rights is fundamental to operating a sustainable international business. We have a strong internal policy framework that includes equality, inclusion and health and safety policies designed to protect our staff and people working in our supply chain.
We have a whistleblowing policy, grievance policy and other support channels that together encourage our employees to speak up if they have any concerns about our workplace practices. We also launched a whistleblowing line that employees and contractors can use to report unlawful behaviour in the workplace.
In our last financial year, we published our Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking Policy. This sets out our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and to ensuring that modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains. It also sets out Global’s core principles regarding the protection of workers from slavery and human trafficking.
Training
To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chains, we launched an online training module for our Outdoor Operations team. It explains what modern slavery is and highlights the signs that team members should look out for and what to do if they are concerned.
Our next steps
Following a review of the effectiveness of the steps we have taken this year to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains, we intend to take the following further steps:
• Continue to review internal processes and procedures to ensure effectiveness in combating slavery and human trafficking, particularly within our outdoor and entertainment event supply chains
• Conduct further risk assessments and due diligence in respect of third-party suppliers operating in the higher risk areas of our business
• Roll out training and information highlighting the risks of modern slavery to wider employee and contractor groups
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes Global’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31 March 2022. It was approved by the board on 22 September 2022.
Darren Singer, CFO
Global Media & Entertainment Limited
Date: 22 September 2022