.svg)
Modern Slavery Statement
This statement is made in accordance with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the “Act”). The firm’s financial year-end is 30 April 2026 and this statement covers the period 2025/2026. This
statement is made on behalf of Schillings International LLP and its affiliated entities including Schillings Communications LLP, Schillings Ireland LLP and Schillings International (USA) LLP
(together, “Schillings” or “the firm”, “we”, or “our”) and summarises the steps Schillings has taken to prevent and detect modern slavery in its own business and supply chain.
This statement has been approved by the firm’s Executive Board on 16 July 2026 and signed by the Chief Operating and Financial Officer on behalf of the firm.
What is Modern Slavery?
Under the Act, “modern slavery” is recognised as an umbrella term covering offences such as slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, debt bondage and human trafficking, all of which involve the exploitation of a person who is unable to refuse or leave due to coercion, threats, deception, or abuse of vulnerability.
Our Principles
Schillings International LLP is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and is bound to comply with its Principles and Codes of Conduct, which includes upholding the fundamental
tenets of ethical behaviour. These Principles include, but are not limited to, acting:
- in a way that upholds the constitutional principle of the rule of law, and the proper administration of justice (Principle 1)
- in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors' profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons (Principle 2)
- with integrity (Principle 5)
- in a way that encourages equality, diversity and inclusion (Principle 6).
All Schillings entities will comply with these Principles at all times. Schillings will always comply with the laws and regulations that govern our business and activities. We recognise that to operate
a sustainable and successful business we must inspire trust and confidence in all our stakeholders.
We oppose all forms of modern slavery, and are committed to taking steps to mitigate the risks and ensure that there is no modern slavery in our supply chains or in any part of our business. We similarly expect high ethical standards from those we work with and are committed to ensuring there is no modern slavery in our supply chains.
Our Organisation, Services and Risk Exposure
Schillings specialises in providing multi-disciplinary high-risk reputation, privacy and security crisis consultancy services to clients globally. Schillings is an international firm which operates from offices in the UK, Ireland and USA, all of which are jurisdictions which respect the rule of law and human rights. Each of the firm’s offices is managed by one or more of our partners, and our Strategic
Board has oversight of all the firm’s offices.
As a business operating within the regulated professional services sector, our ongoing assessment is that there is a low risk of modern slavery occurring within Schillings and in the provision of its
services.
There is a slightly higher risk in our supply chains globally, for example, when forming partnerships with unverified or unknown organisations whose practices we are unaware of. The majority of our suppliers can be considered ‘low risk’ where they operate in the professional services sector. Nevertheless, we remain committed to safeguarding our firm, employees and supply chain from modern slavery by establishing the policies, procedures and controls as described below.
Our Policies, Controls and Procedures
Our specific procedures to monitor and address modern slavery risk include, but are not limited to:
For Employees:
- Maintaining a Modern Slavery Policy;
- Maintaining an Anti-Money Laundering & Sanctions, and Anti-Bribery & Corruption Policy, including an annual firm-wide risk assessment assessing risk factors of exposure to corrupt or fraudulent practices;
- Ensuring recruitment procedures, employee contracts and our people management practices comply with all relevant UK immigration, employment and health and fire safety legislation;
- Employment policies that protect our people from unfair treatment and promote a fair and inclusive workplace;
- Market-related pay and rewards reviewed annually for all employees;
- An extensive range of employee benefits, including paid holiday, training and career
development opportunities, and flexible working arrangements;
- Establishment of a Wellbeing Committee who source tools, information, speakers and signpost employees to external support if they need more in-depth professional support;
- Establishment of an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee who are committed to creating an inclusive working environment through education, accessibility and awareness;
- A whistleblowing tool which includes a reporting mechanism for all employees who wish to raise concerns anonymously.
For Clients and Third Parties:
- The firm’s clients are subject to robust onboarding and due diligence processes before we enter into business relationships with them, which includes sanction and PEP checks, identity and verification checks, and adverse media searches;
- The firm has a Complaints Handling Procedure for clients to raise queries, concerns or complaints about the work done by Schillings.
For Suppliers:
- All suppliers are subject to onboarding procedures prior to instruction, which include but are not limited to ensuring:
o Contractual agreements are in place before the use of any supplier and reviewed and approved by the firm’s Risk & Compliance team;
o A due diligence questionnaire is completed which includes but is not limited to legal and regulatory actions against the supplier, sanctions checks and insurance arrangements;
o Acknowledgment and adherence to Schillings’ Supplier Code of Conduct which details ethical considerations that all suppliers are expected to follow, for example anti-bribery and anti-corruption procedures and modern slavery practices;
o All suppliers are subject to risk assessment and review by the Risk & Compliance team, which takes account of the size, geographical location and risk profile of the industry sector;
o Suppliers who are deemed ‘medium’ or ‘high’ risk must refresh their due diligence questionnaire on an at least annual basis.
- All suppliers are consolidated onto a single onboarding, monitoring and mapping platform.
- Suppliers have access to a whistleblowing tool which includes a reporting mechanism for suppliers who wish to raise concerns anonymously.
Enforcement and Ongoing Compliance
Schillings has a zero-tolerance position on violations to the UK’s Modern Slavery Act. We will thoroughly investigate reports and take appropriate action where necessary to ensure compliance with the Act.
Schillings provides periodic training to our people on the subject of modern slavery and our policies to address the risks to help increase education and awareness. Our Risk & Compliance and HR departments respectively are aware of their reporting obligations to the Strategic Board in accordance with our Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy.
We log concerns and complaints received via our whistleblowing tool or through other sources, together with any actions taken. To the date of this statement, Schillings has had no identified instances of modern slavery in its business, services, or supply chain.
The firm’s Strategic Board is responsible for monitoring performance against our objectives. Building on the steps we have taken to date, we have identified the following as objectives for the coming year:
1. Review the effectiveness of the current third-party management process and platform, and
consider improvements required to streamline monitoring; and
2. Update and deliver training on our Modern Slavery Policy.