Modern Slavery ACT – Our Policy
We here at Companions Rest Memorials™ ( herein after C.R.M ) offer the following stance & statement regarding modern slavery, which complies with & implements the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework within our knowledge and power Globally and with emphasis upon The United States of America ( USA ) – The United Kingdom ( UK ) & The Australian Modern Slavery Acts.
In this Statement & as our Policy, we outline our position structure, business and supply chains including the internal at Factory-Manufacturing Plants policies, standards and processes that contribute to our control framework to respect human rights and help protect against our involvement in modern slavery based Manufacturing Plants still using piss-poor practices and harmful to the workers ancient methods and ventilation– all so things can be “ CHEAP on Demand “.
We ( Mark Thomas the Founder & his Fellow Management here at C.R.M.) declare and stand by that this poorly paid & forced labour behaviour is NOT ON in our World of supply please take note !
This is why at C.R.M. we DO NOT PLAY, CONDONE or SUPPLY CHEAP WITH A HUMAN COST. We believe in a solid and fair days’ pay for a fair day’s work and NOTHING LESS ! Based on this we need to pay an extra small Premium to cover manufacturing costs – and we are OK with that. We REFUSE to profit from others misery – and ask you as potential and/or valued clients PLEASE hold the same point of view – THANK YOU in advance for you kind understanding.
C.R.M. Management identify where we may be involved in modern slavery risks in our business and supply chains and NEVER go there or we categorically cease discussion, negotiation and supply arrangements. We shall best explain our due diligence processes for how we assess and mitigate modern slavery risks, including our approach ( NON-approach ) & how we engage and collaborate with suppliers, clients, management teams & interested stakeholders.
Here at C.R.M. we have NEVER & will NEVER Deal with “Slavery-Sweat Houses“ in ANY Country around the Globe – period !
Due to this we will never be the Cheapest Supplier ( & we don’t care to be ) and ask you and your fellow Managers to PLEASE re-think and be sure.
PLEASE DO NOT take anyone’s word for it – and be careful what happens when you turn your back and / or are NOT looking and questioning. Many South East Asian manufacturers – Owners and Managers reporting DIRECT to the Owner flat out lie – as does the Owner in many case- they just DO NOT CARE !
FACT first hand – they ( many and most I know ) DO NOT care about you, me or their workers. Well we DO CARE and hope you will please join us in our position, stance and support of BEST PRACTICE and Fit for Purpose without harm to others. Thank you again.
What is Modern Slavery ?
The Global Modern Slavery Act ( GMSA ) defines modern slavery to include slavery, servitude, forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, trafficking in persons, deceptive recruiting for labour or services and the worst forms of child labour.
All Westernized and 1st World Countries Counties Globally use the same – or very similar definition and is by C.R.M respectfully cast as a GMSA Blanket Cover.
Following below, we shall explain how we assess the effectiveness of our beliefs, knowledge & actions taken and where we outline the process of consultation across our general business.
C.R.M also outline our process of consultation across the business both in-house and external with chosen suppliers – if and where required. We primarily aim to deal with INDEPENDENT Long Standing- Long Trading FAMILY Businesses – that have been active and run by Family Members for several decades.
Modern slavery is a very real risk globally, including in developed markets.
We know that we may face a risk ( as do you when dealing direct with offshore manufacturers and their careless agents who don’t care one ounce how they get or who gets hurt so they can get a “urn“- sorry earn – ( excuse the pun ! ). This involvement in modern slavery through our business B2B chain, including through our suppliers we believe has been well addressed and knock on the head with constant checks and balances- reports etc.
Freedom from Slavery is a raw and basic Human Right and we incorporate our work on preventing and addressing any involvement in Modern Slavery into our pointed & focused Human Rights desires and Policy.
Sure we at C.R.M are only small players- but we are on that Team – and ask YOU to please join us.
C.R.M subscribe too and believe together with you folks as key & very Valued Wholesale Customers & along with interested stakeholders, companies like BOTH C.R.M. & yours have an important role to play in combatting modern slavery. We here at C.R.M consider doing so to be not only a reflection of our legal obligations and external commitments to core international standards, but also of our moral standing & core values.
This current Modern Slaver Act Statement we wrote, daily stand-by & you are currently reading on this /our C.R.M. website ( as last updated as at 1st March 2022 ) regarding The Global Modern Slavery, highlights the solid steps with intent we have and are taking to identify and address modern slavery risks throughout our EXTERNAL and INTERNAL business units and supply – manufacturing operations & relationships where so.
We plead & ask your and your Key Personnel, Owners, Managers, Purchasing Manager/s et. al. to have faith and support in your fellow Human Beings forced to do horrible & dangerous to health work tasks, work massive hours day after day after day, & who need to live in overcrowded dorms onsite at the factory away from family & home for years at a time.
All this is happening where & while most “ poorly educated workers “ are paid pittance to work in filthy conditions & around harmful fumes etc. to “make CHEAP things” so the purchasing officers & consumer can have “CHEAP“ and sadly ALL at the workers expense and poor health in so many cases.
The Founder of C.R.M – Mark Thomas has personally been, visited and walk through several manufacturing companies poorly designed and maintained so chooses to deal with quality supplies, whether in Australia, USA, Europe, China or anywhere else in the world.
Mark also deals with a Indian based Manufacturing source based in Moradabad that started in the Cremation Urn & House Hold Goods Manufacturing Business some 15 years ago.
YES – he has personally visited that manufacturing company several Years back prior to the COVID pandemic and travel restrictions. Mark knows the owner first hand and they speak regularly & with trust, respect, candour & clnarity.
YES – Mark has had a Private Investigator – now an aligned Agent based in the city of Moradabad ( in North East India ) –to check out things on C.R.M’s behalf at times and be sure all is as should be, was and continues.
The working relationship/s are all based around Win-Win-Win-Win where most importantly the Workers-Employees Win as well, the Manufacturer Wins, we Win and YOU our valued Wholesale client ( and thus your clients ) also Win …- & where we all end up with Peace of Mind for ALL parties concerned on & along the product supply chain.
Critically – NO employees or workers at the Manufacturing plants & Factories with whom we trade ( including those in Dallas –TX. USA, both Sydney & Brisbane – AUSTRALIA. Moradabad – INDIA and Sofia in BULGARIA or around the world ) don’t have to work in horrid and slum like sweat shops and where all parties earn a solid and worthwhile salary for effort, solid & safe working conditions, and are treated very well to the constant best of our knowledge, the best we can control & understand with due respect.
YES this means we have to pay a reasonable Premium Price for Goods and why we DON’T play “ Cheap”- frankly our Cost of Goods might be 2 or 3 times MORE in raw and / or overall costs- so be it.
Our speciality is “Bang for Buck” … VALUE if you will – and where …
… QUALITY is NOT Expensive- …it’s actually PRICELESS !
PLEASE Folks, re-think CHEAP ! –
PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT a Race to the Bottom on pricing so you can Profit so much more at a fellow humans expense. Please think of others and if not sure- proceed with care and caution and plan for what is most likely happening behind the roller doors.
We here at C.R.M offer QUALITY at reasonable prices both sides of any transaction when we Buy & Sell – call it Humane – Respectful – Thoughtful WIN-WIN Trading if you will.
General Notes and Thoughts
“ Modern Slavery ” & “ Human Trafficking,” are used as umbrella terms to refer to both sex trafficking and compelled labour. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-386), as amended (TVPA), and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ( The Palermo Protocol ).
The Palermo Protocol describe this compelled ( UGLY & DESPICABLE METHODS ) and service using a number of different terms, including Involuntary Servitude, Slavery or practices similar to Slavery, Debt Bondage, and even Forced Labour.
PLEASE RECONSIDER – DON’T DEMAND CHEAP as the ONLY PROTOCOL – and be sure to check out Manufactures Modern Slavery Act & Policies in house… or allow us to please serve you – all while at keen pricing absolutely – but where EVERYONE WINS including the workers PLEASE.
Please – DO NOT think for a minute if a Western Business Owner and / or a Junior / Head Purchasing Manager / Buyer or Marketing Manager demands Cheaper in that a ( the asked ) manufacturer – supplier WILL turn themselves inside out to obtain – maintain –secure the order & business – it’s almost impossible to say NO for many desperate manufacturers – but one MUST ASK please – If you want – demand CHEAPER at whose costs will it be ? Everything has a “Cost “.
We often say NO – we are NOT for or care for a Race to the Bottom at fellow Human’s expense please Folks. Work with us here – NOT against us please.
We PROUDLY offer QUALITY- EXCLUSIVITY – SERVICE – CLASS – VALUE and all that comes at a small extra Premium – NOT overpriced, yet still with wonderful margins and Peace of Mind ! – 2nd to NONE !
To screw a Soul without care or knowing exactly what is “perhaps“ going on behind the roller doors at the factory to save a few USD$ and in some cases even less than USD$1. – we ask you to please consider all on a Like for Like basis, as well re the overall material the goods are made with, the quality, Inclusions & workmanship etc. NOT all products are as they may appear on the surface – BUYER BEWARE
Human Trafficking DOES NOT REQUIRE MOVEMENT and can also include :-
People may be considered trafficking victims regardless of whether they:-
- Were born into a state of servitude & were exploited in their home town,
- Were transported to the exploitative situation, previously consented to work for a trafficker,
- Participated in a crime as a direct result of being trafficked.
At the heart of this phenomenon is the traffickers’ aim to exploit and enslave their victims and the myriad coercive and deceptive practices they use to do so.
We here @ C.R.M respectfully offer all heart felt, genuine & I.O.H.O – in many cases ( but not all we accept ) all this UGLY treatment of Fellow Humans, be them Male or Female of many different age groups including Under Age Children et al. are totally exploited & taken advantage of so as part of the plan to supply “CHEAP PRODUCTS “ on demand buy International based Junior – Head Purchasing Officers and Managers & Marketing Managers – Business Owners etc. – and many other matters we accept.
THANK YOU very much for taking all above on board- and reconsidering what “CHEAP” really can mean in many sad situations when you are not looking !
By all means, we wish for & certainly support Fair Pricing – Win-Win-Win & Win scenarios absolutely, but let’s PLEASE stop to really think about the true potential & reality of folks working in very unsavory conditions, methods, & ways etc.
Final Points Regarding Consumers
Our Founder Mark Thomas says at a time when the Modern Slavery Act is forcing businesses to assess workplace conditions and treatment of workers in poorly paid harsh boring jobs positions & so very often are working away in Sweat Shops so Procurement Managers – Product Buyers can have “CHEAP”.
Well, the general public & consumers are looking, asking & demanding more & increasingly want to know if a product has been imported or locally manufactured.
They are asking clearly – and demanding if products on offer to market are imported,.. then where is it from & does the Manufacturer and/or Buying Agent and that the product/s adhere to the ethical workplace and working standards? –Mark says.
You should seek their Modern-Day Slave Labour Policy and read it- if they don’t have one- well GUESS WHAT ?! – seek that relationship & Run !
“It’s a much more educated consumer these days & we note that procurement Teams-Managers in many cases and their supply chains need to lift their game jointly when it comes to sourcing, chasing and demanding “ Cheap”.”.
Frankly- somebody is going to get hurt with that lowest price – chase-the-last-cent mentality – PLEASE consider NOT chasing Cheap or Cheapest.
Sincerely,
Mr. Mark Thomas.
Founder –
Sales & Marketing Director.
Companions Rest Memorials Inc.