INTRODUCTION
This Act notes that slavery and human trafficking remain a hidden blight on our global society. We all have a responsibility to be alert to the risks, however small, in our business and in the wider supply chain. This Act requires businesses of a certain size to produce an annual statement setting out the steps they have taken to ensure there is no modern slavery in their own business and their supply chains. The measure is designed to create a level playing field between those businesses, which act responsibly and those that need to change their policies and practices.
OUR BUSINESS
Simpsons Malt is a manufacturer of malt, primarily for the food and drink sector and an agricultural merchant operating under the trading name of McCreath Simpson & Prentice.
Simpsons Malt has its head office in Berwick-upon-Tweed and all trading outlets are in the UK, though we export product via appointed overseas agents.
OUR SUPPLY CHAINS
Our supply chain includes the sourcing of raw materials principally related to the provision of malt for the food and drink industries and is typically a UK based supply chain.
OUR POLICIES/ACTIONS ON SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery, or human trafficking, in our supply chains, or in any part of our business. Our compliance with this Act reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure this in our own business and spreading the message to our supply chain.
Delivering on this commitment has been allocated as a specific responsibility of Managing Director, Tim McCreath, and McCreath Simpson & Prentice Merchanting Director, Andy Hindhaugh.
Our business conforms to all the relevant UK employment legislation and our employment policies reflect that. All current employees have proven their right to work in the UK, and all new starters are subject to the same right to work check.
We are a member of SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange), via which we independently audit our employment policies and practices against the Ethical Trading Initiative Base code standards.
As a Certified B Corporation, we are committed to upholding the highest social and ethical standards across our operations and supply chains; our recent improvement in B Corp score from 89 to 130 reflects the strengthening of our governance, worker, and community practices, which are central to preventing modern slavery and ensuring responsible business conduct.
All contracted malting barley and distilling wheat suppliers must comply with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) to a minimum of the Silver performance level. Part of the assessment examines employment conditions to ensure that legal obligations are being met. In 2022 a cohort of 340 farms were accredited with 91% Gold and 9% Silver status for their practices. In 2023 we reverified our original barley cohort of 418 suppliers to 91% Gold and 9% Silver status. In 2024 we expanded this to our Wheat Growers, achieving 100% Gold performance level.
SUPPLIER ADHERENCE TO OUR VALUES
We have zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. We expect all those in our supply chain to comply with our values. No suggestions have been received of poor practice by our supplier base around this issue.
GOVERNANCE & REVIEW
This statement detailing our approach to the Modern Slavery Act is in its sixth year. It has been reviewed by the Board in September 2025 and a review of activity will continue to occur annually.
On behalf of the Board
Tim McCreath
Managing Director
September 2025