Social Responsibility
Modern Slavery Act Statement
Targus is committed to ensuring that our business reflects Targus’s values and respect for human rights and the environment. Targus expects our employees and suppliers to obey the laws and regulations that require them to treat workers fairly, provide a safe and healthy work environment, and protect environmental quality. Targus does not tolerate modern slavery in our organisation or in our supply chain. Pursuant to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, Targus provides the below statement to demonstrate its efforts and commitment to supporting global human rights and preventing acts of modern slavery.
Structure and Supply Chains
For more than 35 years, Targus has been implementing purposeful solutions to provide customers with the tools they need to succeed – from laptop bags to tablet cases to peripherals and universal docking stations. Our insight-driven approach, global reach, and commitment to quality ensures we have the skills and experience to meet our customers’ performance, style, and protection needs – whether they’re a large enterprise, a small business, or an individual who needs to get work done.
Targus’s European operations are headquartered in the United Kingdom, with employees of affiliate Targus entities located primarily in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, China, and Australia. Targus has a similarly international supply chain with goods and services purchased from all over the world, including but not limited to, the United States, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, China, India, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Anti-Slavery and Anti-Trafficking Policies
Targus has a strict policy against modern slavery and human trafficking. Targus employees expressly agree to abide by our Code of Conduct and Anti-Corruption Policy. Targus’s Code of Conduct and Anti-Corruption Policy outlines our expectations for all of our employees and prohibits, among others, discrimination, failure to comply with laws and regulations, and improper dealings with suppliers. Targus provides a Corporate and Integrity Hotline service that assists our Human Resources department and other senior officers in investigating employee concerns.
Targus requires a commitment from its suppliers to conduct business in conformity with standards of business ethics and human rights. Targus requires that all of its potential product suppliers sign a Supplier Code of Conduct to commit to comply with applicable laws and regulations on fair and ethical business practices, forced labour, child labour, harassment or abuse, non-discrimination, health and safety, freedom of association, working hours, wages and benefits, and environmental compliance in each country in which they operate. Targus requires this commitment before it initiates its supplier on-boarding audit process, which is used to investigate and verify the potential supplier’s commitment against modern slavery and human trafficking.
Due Diligence Processes and Risk Assessment & Management
Targus’s relationships with suppliers are based on lawful, socially responsible and fair practices. We expect our suppliers to obey the laws and regulations that require them to treat workers fairly, provide a safe and healthy work environment and protect environmental quality.
Targus obligates its suppliers by contract to certify compliance with our Corporate Social Compliance Standards, which are contained in our Vendor Management Guidelines. These standards require that suppliers not utilise forced, prison, or indentured labour, or subject workers to any form of compulsion or coercion. Targus’s suppliers are obligated to impose the same standards on their suppliers and any sub-contractors.
Targus has a program to verify supplier compliance with our standards, which includes initial on-site audits of supplier factories conducted by Targus personnel trained in auditing techniques to recognise and report non-compliance with our expectations. Targus’s Social and Environment Responsibility Audit investigates compliance with applicable laws on labour and wages, child labour, involuntary labour, non-discrimination, fair business practices, worker health and safety, and environmental compliance. Targus additionally conducts intermittent, spot audits of its suppliers and requires access for such inspections in its supply agreements.
To maintain internal accountability, Targus sourcing personnel follow an “eyes always open” approach under which all relevant personnel are expected to recognise environmental, health, safety, and labour concerns, including issues relating to human trafficking and forced labour, and to report and investigate all suspicions of improper conduct at all suppliers globally.
Suppliers that fail to meet Targus’s expectations are required to take immediate corrective actions. Targus personnel conduct on-site inspections to ensure any and all corrective actions are implemented by the supplier. Failure to implement such actions will lead to the termination of the supplier’s relationship with Targus. Employees who violate Targus’s policies are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Training and Action Taken to Address Modern Slavery
Targus expects each employee to understand and comply with our Code of Conduct and Anti-Corruption Policy. Targus continues to train our employees on our Code of Conduct when they join Targus.
In addition to the diligence and audit actions described above, Targus expects to conduct an internal training on modern slavery and human trafficking during the upcoming financial year. This training will assist our employees with vigilant monitoring for supplier compliance and an increased understanding of our Supplier Code of Conduct.
Mikel H. Williams
Director
This statement applies to and has been approved by Targus Europe Limited and Targus Group (UK) Limited for the financial year ending September 30, 2019.