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This statement is made by the Withers group pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 ('the Act') and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 1 July 2025.
The firm
'Withers' is the name under which Withers LLP, Withers Bergman LLP and their affiliated partnerships, offices, undertakings, affiliates - including Withers BVI, Withers 衛達仕, Withers Società tra Avvocati S.r.l., Withers KhattarWong LLP, Withers Bengoshi Houjin and Withers Gaikokuhou Jimu Bengoshi Houjin (each of which is its own legal entity) provide legal or other client services. Each entity is independently authorised and regulated in accordance with the laws and professional requirements of its jurisdiction.
The Withers group has zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships. We are committed to ensuring modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our businesses or supply chains. As a group of affiliated international law firms we consider the risk of this to be low.
Withers LLP:
- requires the same high standards from all of its contractors, suppliers and other business partners and expects them to respect and share the firm's values and to hold their own suppliers to the same high standards;
- has a zero-tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking and is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business dealings and relationships; and
- is committed to maintaining the highest standards by implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to prevent slavery and human trafficking entering its own business and supply chains.
This zero-tolerance approach extends beyond Withers LLP's own business and supply chains and we are committed to ensuring that the services we provide do not facilitate or assist slavery and human trafficking in any way. Our people are expected to be vigilant to this risk and are encouraged to voice any concerns openly as soon as they become aware of them under our Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking and/or Whistleblowing Policies.
In 2023-24, our focus was on reviewing our approach to addressing modern slavery and human trafficking to identify potential improvements. Additionally, we assessed our UK training and awareness programme for staff and the firm's overall approach to these issues, concluding on areas for future focus. Our commitment to continuous improvement drives us to evaluate and enhance our approaches to this area.
Our focus for 2024-25:
- Evaluate the implementation of training programs for relevant firm departments.
- Ensure staff awareness of obligations under the Act and educate staff on recognizing signs of modern slavery.
- Provide guidance on appropriate steps to take if issues arise.
This statement has been approved by Margaret Robertson, Member and the Chief Executive Officer of Withers.
