The Modern Slavery Act 2015 is a U.K. law focused on the prevention and prosecution of all forms of modern slavery. Modern slavery refers to the exploitation of people through forced labour, debt bondage, human trafficking, or other forms of forced or compulsory labour or coercion. Section 54 of the Act requires certain business organisations to prepare and publish a statement regarding the steps they have taken during the preceding financial year to ensure that modern slavery does not take place in any part of their business or supply chains.
The AVEVA Group is a leading global provider of engineering and industrial software. It consists of a parent company, AVEVA Group Ltd, incorporated in the U.K., and several subsidiaries held directly or indirectly by AVEVA Group Ltd, which are incorporated in various jurisdictions around the world. These subsidiaries (including Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea (the Republic of), Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the U.A.E., the U.K. and the U.S.), each contributing to the Group’s profits, assets, and cash flows. On 18th January 2023, AVEVA Group Ltd announced the completion of its acquisition by Schneider Electric Industrial Software Business, a leading global industrial company specialising in digital automation and energy management, furthering AVEVA’s position as a global leader in engineering and industrial software.
This statement is prepared in connection with the financial year ended 31st March 2023, in respect of AVEVA Group Ltd and its subsidiary AVEVA Solutions Limited.
Modern slavery and human trafficking are serious crimes and human rights violations, and AVEVA has zero tolerance for them in any form.
AVEVA Group Ltd maintains a group-level Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy (‘the Policy’) which states AVEVA’s zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery. This commitment is further affirmed in AVEVA’s Business Conduct Guidelines.
The Policy applies to all persons working for AVEVA, or on AVEVA’s behalf, in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, interns, agents, contractors, external consultants, third-party representatives and business partners, and states that breaches of the Policy may result in disciplinary action (and potentially dismissal) against employees and termination of AVEVA’s relationships with other parties.
AVEVA maintains a central procurement function, which is primarily responsible for procurement in relation to customer contracts. Other procurement within the AVEVA Group is handled directly by individual business units and subsidiaries.
Considering the nature of AVEVA’s business and its supply chains, which are generally comprised of office space, office-related supplies, IT and other technology, personnel, facilities, transportation, recruitment, and legal and financial services, AVEVA believes the risks of slavery and human trafficking taking place in any part of its business or supply chains is relatively low. AVEVA is not aware of any instance in which a modern slavery concern has been raised with AVEVA by an AVEVA employee or third-party in either its business or its supply chains, and AVEVA has not, to date, otherwise identified any instances of modern slavery in either its business or its supply chains. AVEVA maintains a Speak Up Policy, where mandatory staff training is delivered annually, and encourages the reporting by employees and others of matters involving potential legal and other misconduct in connection with AVEVA’s business. Notwithstanding the above, AVEVA remains committed to taking steps to prevent modern slavery arising in any part of its business or supply chains. During AVEVA’s previous financial year, it has taken the following steps:
- AVEVA considers the risks of slavery and human trafficking taking place in any part of its business or supply chains. AVEVA Legal continues to review its existing procurement arrangements with relevant members of staff, with a view to identifying any elements of those arrangements which give rise to heightened modern slavery risk.
- AVEVA delivers staff training on modern slavery risk, which is now well-established and forms part of the mandatory annual training on Corporate Ethics for all AVEVA staff.
- AVEVA includes in its contracts with suppliers and contractors, on a rolling basis as existing contracts come up for renewal, or as new contracts are entered into, provisions requiring such suppliers and contractors, in the discharge of their contractual obligations to AVEVA to do the following:
- Comply with all applicable laws in force from time-to-time, including the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
- Take steps to ensure that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of its business.
- Confirm the absence of historic offences, investigations, inquiries, or other enforcement proceedings in connection with slavery or human trafficking. AVEVA has developed standard supplier contractual terms for use in procurement of goods and services, to include provisions on compliance with applicable laws relating to modern slavery.
- AVEVA conducts mandatory due diligence on all suppliers engaged across AVEVA, which is conducted principally by the responsible procurement function, and extends to, and is indeed focused on, modern slavery and labour rights risk.
This Statement was approved by the Board of Directors of AVEVA Group Ltd and AVEVA Solutions Limited on 21st September 2023 and is signed by Caspar Herzberg, Chief Executive Officer of AVEVA Group Ltd and AVEVA Solutions Limited.
Caspar Herzberg
Chief Executive Officer
AVEVA Group plc