MODERN SLAVERY ACT STATEMENT.
This statement is made by The Foundry Visionmongers Ltd (“Foundry”) pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 for the financial year ending 31 December 2020. It sets out Foundry’s commitment to ensuring that modern slavery has no place in or around our business.
About Foundry
We operate from our headquarters in London. Our creative software technologies are used to deliver award-winning visual effects and 3D content for the design, visualization and entertainment industries. Our software advances the art and technology of visual experience in partnership with creative leaders across the globe.
We are part of the Roper group of companies and our ultimate group parent is Roper Technologies, Inc., (“Roper”). As such, we are proud to work in accordance with the Roper Business Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (the “Code”).
Anti-Slavery Statement
Modern slavery is a crime and violation of human rights encompassing slavery, forced labour and human trafficking.
Foundry takes a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of modern slavery and we are committed to preventing acts of modern slavery from taking place within our business and our supply chain. We also expect the same high standards from our supply chain.
This statement sets out the further steps that Foundry has taken towards that goal.
Supply Chain
We continue to consider that Foundry’s business is relatively low risk in relation to modern slavery given the nature of our business and the recently reduced footprint of our office operations.
Foundry’s business continues to rely predominantly on its in-house development of proprietary software solutions. In addition, we work with various technical partners and license-in certain technologies which contribute (whether directly or indirectly) to our product solutions.
Where we do license-in technology, the nature of those solutions, and the context of the wider industry, means that the licensors are typically advanced technology businesses, having highly skilled workforces and working to their own codes of conduct and/or ethical business practice relevant to the country of their incorporation. Similar to Foundry, they rely predominantly on their own in-house development activities.
For our business operations, we rely on general business suppliers of items such as travel, cleaning and security services, stationery and catering/refreshments for our London office. We also purchase IT equipment for our workforce.
We consider that the main risk of exposure to the practices of modern slavery in Foundry’s business comes from those suppliers of operational business services.
Supplier Due Diligence
During 2020, the circumstance of the Covid-19 pandemic meant that our requirement for non-IT operational business services reduced significantly. In addition, our office footprint had already reduced with the closure of our sales office in China which had previously been identified as a higher risk location for exposure to the practices of modern slavery.
Among operational business services, we continue to identify cleaning and security services as being higher risk based on the nature of the service and associated indirect supply of personnel. For these services, we only use reputable suppliers (either engaged direct or otherwise provided by our office landlord) and each has supplied, and we have reviewed, their respective modern slavery statements as evidence of their commitment towards the same policy goals as set out in this statement.
As we hope to begin a phased return to a degree of office working, we shall keep those statements under review and ensure that any alteration or addition to existing services are reviewed prior to engagement.
For Foundry’s IT spend, we purchase either direct from suppliers or else via substantial resellers. We review and ensure that each such supplier maintains suitable anti-slavery and human trafficking statements committing them to policy goals that align with our own.
Training, Policies and Increased Awareness
Within Foundry, day to day responsibility for administering our zero-tolerance approach rests with our General Counsel, our Group Financial Controller and our Global Facilities Manager as those individuals primarily responsible for selecting and approving arrangements with general business suppliers.
Roper’s Code forms part of Foundry’s handbook provided to our new joiners. Thereafter, all Foundry personnel undergo annual business ethics training as part of the Roper’s annual compliance initiatives. As part of that process, they each certify their adherence to the Code and its practices.
Roper operates a group-wide whistleblowing policy for any suspicion of inappropriate, unethical or illegal conduct or behaviour in violation of or inconsistent with the Code. Details are publicly available on Roper’s website and recommunicated to all personnel through the annual training program.
This statement has been approved by the Board of The Foundry Visionmongers Ltd. It shall be reviewed annually and made available on our website at www.foundry.com
Martin Franks
CFO
The Foundry Visionmongers Ltd.
Date: 6 April 2021