Health and safety is the leading category for non-compliance issues found across the Universal Store supply chain.
This is according to the fashion group’s latest modern slavery statement covering FY24. Alongside its retail subsidiary, Universal Store also manages Thrills and Perfect Stranger brands.
Nearly half of all non-compliance issues cover health and safety (49 per cent), with the company noting the top key concerns included equipment safety, fire safety and chemical safety, with these being resolved by the installing of needle guards on sewing machines, adherence to evacuation protocols and correct labelling and containment of chemicals.
Working hours came in second across non-compliance issues, making up 25 per cent, followed by living wages and benefits at 23 per cent, and governance at 3 per cent.
According to the modern slavery statement, Universal Store addressed a total of 149 non-conformances across the four key areas. This included resolving 60 out of 73 health and safety issues, with an 82 per cent closure rate, with 13 issues remaining open at June 30, 2024.
“To progress in enabling targeted risk mitigation strategies, we continue to work on promoting safe, fair working conditions and protecting the rights of the workers involved in our supply chain,” the company shared in its modern slavery statement.
“In FY24, we conducted a detailed analysis of the key risks associated with our most frequent non-conformances. The SES team logs all noncompliance descriptions, categorising them into key areas such as Health and Safety, Living Wages & Benefits, Governance and Working Hours. Each category is further divided into specific issue titles that detail individual problems.”
During the reporting period, Universal Store reportedly engaged with its suppliers and their partners to remediate the lack of essential safety features on machines, preventing injuries common in fast-paced production environments.
“We also insisted on clear pathways being maintained in factories to facilitate safe evacuation during emergencies. Finally, we provided guidance to implement effective cleanliness standards, such as routine sanitation schedules and access to personal protective equipment.”
The fashion group added that “social insurance” and “excessive overtime” are issues raised frequently in supplier factory audits, noting particularly those located in China.
“We acknowledge the importance of monitoring and managing overtime to prevent fatigue that can lead to safety hazards for garment workers,” the company wrote.
“Collaborating with our suppliers, we started to discuss how to establish clear work schedule guidelines that promote a healthier working schedule and meet production demands.
“In FY25, we plan to better understand the complexities of systemic non-compliances, harnessing the competencies of our teams, and engaging factory management to improve overtime and social benefits compliance across our supply chain.”
Universal Store is expected to release its FY25 modern slavery statement by 2025 end.