MODERN SLAVERY STATEMENT 2021
Marshall Amplification Plc (“Marshall”) is making a voluntary statement relating to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (“Act”). Our annual turnover in the financial year ending 31 December 2021 was £36.4 million.
Marshall opposes slavery and human trafficking in all forms. We are committed to having effective practices in place to safeguard against and combat any form of slavery or human trafficking. Although we are not required to make a statement under the Act, we are making this statement voluntarily to show our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity, and to set out the steps that we are taking to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in any form anywhere in our business or in any of our supply chains.
Our organisation
Marshall is a public limited company, owned by two trusts. Marshall has four wholly-owned subsidiaries:
- Marshall Records Limited (“MR”) and Marshall Records Publishing Limited (“MRP”) in the UK;
- Marshall Amplification (Hong Kong) Limited (“MAHK”) in Hong Kong; and
- Marshall Amplification (Vietnam) Co., Limited (“MAV”) in Vietnam.
During 2021, Marshall carried out a restructuring exercise to acquire all shares in MR and to transfer in all shares in MRP (previously wholly-owned by MR), resulting in this change to its corporate group structure from 2020 to 2021.
Our business
Marshall is a manufacturer of Marshall musical instruments (e.g. amplifiers, pedals), with its head office in the UK and offices and manufacturing sites in the UK, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Marshall also has a Natal drums and percussion product range, which is manufactured in Taiwan and Thailand. Marshall manufactures, markets and sells these “core” products globally.
Marshall has a range of licensed Marshall lifestyle products (e.g. speakers, headphones, apparel, bags, fridges, beer and accessories) which are manufactured, marketed and sold by third-party licensees who are based in and operate from various locations globally (e.g. Europe, North America and South East Asia).
Marshall sells both its core products and licensed products through dealer and distributor networks globally. In addition, Marshall launched its Online Shop in 2021.
Marshall operates a record label and publishing arm via MR and MRP. In 2021, Marshall launched a new Marshall Live Agency business and opened its new Marshall Studio in the UK.
Our suppliers
Marshall engages various suppliers globally, including for the manufacture of its own products (e.g. raw materials, parts and components), the supply of licensed products (e.g. speakers, headphones, apparel, bags, fridges, beer and accessories), and various professional services (e.g. consultants, advisors and IT software). Generally speaking, Marshall manages suppliers outside of Asia, whereas MAKH and/or MAV manage suppliers based in Asia.
Our policies
Marshall operates a number of policies to ensure that we are conducting business ethically and with integrity across the whole corporate group, including:
- Marshall’s Values;
- Marshall’s Ethical Code of Conduct;
- Marshall’s employment contracts (which include provisions on working time and lone working);
- Marshall’s staff handbook (which includes standards on conduct and behaviour of work, bribery prevention, diversity and dignity, grievance procedure, health and safety, and economic and environmental policy); and
- Zero tolerance of abuse, assault or other threatening behaviour.
Our processes
Marshall has taken various steps to improve its practices in 2021, including:
- Modern slavery training programme in Marshall, MAHK and MAV;
- Bringing the manufacture of certain goods or the provision of certain services into Marshall, MAHK and MAV;
- Continuing to have a union representative at MAV, and working with the representative to uphold working conditions at MAV;
- Collaborating with our third-party licensees on ethical practices, including responsible sourcing and sustainability;
- Including anti-slavery and human trafficking and ethical practices provisions in our contracts and terms and conditions with suppliers and customers;
- Carrying out supplier due diligence through background checks, check lists and audits (paper and in-person (subject to COVID-19 restrictions)) tailored to/dependent on the type of supplier. Larger suppliers are also expected to be SA8000 certified;
- Creating an enhanced supplier due diligence process, including creating a new Ethical Code of Conduct. We have also hired a new Senior Supply Chain Manager to drive improvements in our supplier and supply chain processes;
- Setting up a Compliance Working Group to investigate and implement improvements to the end-to-end compliance processes at Marshall, MAHK and MAV; and
- Carrying out an internal assessment of Marshall, MAHK and MAV ethical practices based on the B Impact Assessment to inform an ongoing action plan of continuous improvement.
Approval for this statement
This statement is made in connection with Section 54 of the Act for the financial year ending 31 December 2021. It was approved by the Board of Directors on 21 April 2022.
Signature:
Jon Ellery
Managing Director
Date: 21 April 2022
Marshall Amplification Plc