Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking statement

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking statement

March 2021/2022

This statement constitutes the slavery and human trafficking statement for each of the entities listed below (together the “Group”) in respect of the financial year 2021/2022, made pursuant to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015:

  1. Vancouver Topco Limited;
  2. Immediate Media Company Limited;
  3. Immediate Media Company London Limited;
  4. Our Media Limited (formerly Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited);
  5. Immediate Media TV Limited;
  6. Diamond Newco Limited;
  7. Genealogy Events Limited;
  8. Radio Times Events Limited;
  9. Upper Street Events Limited;
  10. Upper Street Events Topco Limited;
  11. River Street Media Limited;
  12. River Street Events Limited; and
  13. Immediate Media Services Limited.

We also require our employees operating within the following international entities to comply with our policies on modern slavery:

  1. Immediate Media Company North America, Inc (USA);
  2. Immediate Media Company Australia Pty Limited (Australia);
  3. Hitched PTY Limited (South Africa); and
  4. Immediate Media Company PTE Limited (Singapore).

This statement should be read alongside the Immediate Media Company Code of Business Conduct (“Code of Business Conduct”) and the Immediate Media Company Ethical Policy (“Ethical Policy”).

Our story

Immediate Media Company (“Immediate”) is the award-winning special interest content and platform company. Our fast-growing, multi-platform media business is home to over 1,000 people across eight divisions. We own and operate some of the best-loved brands in the UK, engaging over 72 million passionate consumers each month, offering them world-class content and innovative new products and services.

Our Policies on Modern Slavery

Immediate is proud of its commitment to ensuring a high standard of ethical trade practices, including the provision of safe working conditions and the protection of workers’ rights, across its global businesses.

Our business has long conducted its procurement activity in accordance with the provisions of its Ethical Policy, which reflects the international standards set out in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions. For many years, we have required suppliers to observe the Ethical Policy and the Code of Business Conduct and to demonstrate a similar commitment to an ongoing programme of ensuring (and, where necessary, improving) ethical and compliant corporate and supply practices.

Structure and Supply Chains: Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethical Policy form part of all of our supply contracts and can be found in links at the foot of the homepage of our corporate website. As Immediate has invested in both organic growth and growth by means of acquisition, these fundamental values have been brought into play in all parts of its business. All parts of Immediate’s business are in compliance with the Code of Business Conduct. All parts of Immediate’s business are in compliance with or actively working towards the full implementation of the Ethical Policy.

Risk Assessment and Due Diligence

Key staff have been identified within our business and tasked with primary responsibility for understanding, assessing and monitoring the risk within our business of modern slavery and human trafficking. Those staff include our Production Director, our Group Production and Sustainability Manager, our Buying Managers (for our Youth and Children’s brands) and our Facilities Managers. We conduct training for all staff to remind them of our ethical policies and our obligations in respect of combating modern slavery.

Many of our key suppliers are subject to regular ethical audit, which includes independent investigations into the protection of workers’ rights and prevention of slavery or human trafficking. These audits allow us to identify and measure the effectiveness of our suppliers’ compliance with our modern slavery policies.

Our actions

Any concerns relating to slavery or human trafficking must be reported promptly to Immediate’s Production Director, Director of Legal Affairs and Chief Financial Officer. You can reach them by emailing legal@immediate.co.uk.

Immediate continues to work with its industry peers, through the Professional Publishers’ Association, to remain exponents of best practice.

This statement has been approved by Immediate Media Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Financial Officer.

Signed: Tom Bureau, CEO