sign in sign up
<<
Home , Paid time off

PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS MODEMROND E SR NL AS LVA EV ERR Y A AC TC STT ASTTE MAETN ET MENT

This statement, approved by the RELX Board during the February 2020 Board meeting, has been published in accordance with the Modern Act 2015. It sets out the steps taken by RELX PLC and its subsidiaries to prevent modern slavery and in its business and supply chain during the year ending 31 December 2019. [1] This is our fourth Modern Slavery Act statement. Past statements can be found here.

O U R C O M P A N Y RELX has: R E L X is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

We help scientists make new discoveries, doctors and nurses improve the lives of patients and lawyers win cases. We prevent online fraud and money laundering, and help insurance companies evaluate and predict risk. Our events enable customers to learn about markets, source products and complete transactions. In short, we enable our customers to make better decisions, get better results and be more productive. We operate in four major market segments. L e g a l provides legal, regulatory and business In 2019, electronic products and services accounted information and analytics that helps customers for 75% of revenue, up from 36% in 2006. increase their productivity, improve decision-making and achieve better outcomes. Significant products Scientific, Technical & Medical include Lexis Advance, the flagship product in North provides information and analytics that help America for legal research and analytics; Lexis institutions and professionals progress science, PSL,providing UK practical guidance; Lexis 360in advance healthcare and improve performance. France, a leading integrated solution combining Elsevier services fall into four market legal information, in-depth analysis with categories: Primary Research, Databases & JurisClasseur content, and practical guidance; and Tools, Reference and Pharma Promotion. Lex Machina, providing legal analytics to companies Significant products include: ScienceDirect, the and law firms, enabling them to craft successful world’s largest platform dedicated to peer- strategies, win cases and close business. reviewed primary scientific and medical E x h i b i t i o n s is a leading global events business. research; Scopus, a source -neutral abstract and It combines face-to-face with data and digital citation database curated by independent tools to help customers learn about markets, subject matter experts with over 76m records source products and complete transactions at across 25,000 journals; SciVal, a decision over 500 events in almost 30 countries, attracting tool that helps institutions to establish, execute more than 7m participants. Significant events and evaluate research strategies by leveraging include World Travel Market, a premier global bibliometric data from Scopus and other data event for the travel industry; MIPIM, for the types such as patent citations and usage data; world’s property market; ComicCon, a premier and ClinicalKey, the flagship clinical reference comic book and pop culture convention; and platform. Batimat, an international trade fair for the Risk & Business Analytics building industry. provides customers with information-based We focus on our analytics and decision tools that combine unique contributions as a business where we make a positive impact public and industry-specific content with through our knowledge, resources and skills, advanced technology and algorithms to assist including: them in evaluating and predicting risk and enhancing operational efficiency. Significant Universal, sustainable access products include: C.L.U.E., the most to information comprehensive US personal loss history Advance of science and health database, which helps insurers assess risk and provide important inputs to pricing and Protection of society underwriting insurance policies; LexisNexis Digital Identity Network, which provides Promotion of the rule of law & insight into true digital identity, by analysing access to justice global shared intelligence across more than 38bn annual transactions to distinguish Fostering communities legitimate consumers versus fraudsters; and Detailed information about the segments, each of Cirium, an aviation and air travel data and their business models and our unique contributions analytics company for the wider travel can be found in the RELX Annual Report on relx.com. industry.

2 OUR PEOPLE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS As a global provider of information-based analytics We stand against all forms of slavery and human and decision tools for professional and business trafficking. We do not tolerate it in any part of our customers, RELX attracts and develops highly business, including our supply chain. We are a skilled professionals who can realise their signatory to the United Nations Global Compact aspirations. Given the nature of our work and our (UNGC) Ten Principles related to human rights, fair and workforce, the risk is low for human trafficking and non-discriminatory labour practices (which derive modern slavery in our direct operations. directly from the ILO Declaration on fundamental

We employ more than 33,000 people in more than principles and rights at work), the environment, and 40 countries worldwide. 70% of our employees are anti-corruption. Our policies are also informed by the based in North America and Europe. The Philippines Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the OECD is our third largest geography where 12% of our Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the UN employees are located. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Women’s Empowerment Principles. We offer employee assistance programmes, including a work-life program in the US that helps We are aware of the risk of modern slavery given our employees and their family members with global presence and diverse supply chain. We have issues such as stress, alcohol, and substance robust human rights due diligence processes in place abuse. We also have a dependent care support which include: programme in the US which includes paid time off · Assessing risks in our own operations and our for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and supply chain through consultations with key dependent care events and additional support programmes for mental wellbeing and overall stakeholders and through the use of due diligence wellness through medical and wellbeing vendor tools partners. Our UK employees can utilize a free Providing to teams such as Global confidential helpline and counselling agency Procurement, who are more likely to face potential encompassing personal, legal, financial, tax and modern slavery issues relationship advice, available 24 hours a day Conducting awareness raising campaigns for all throughout the year for employees and their employees, including materials for all employees immediate family members. on detecting modern slavery Enhancing our policies when necessary to address We have approximately 8,000 contingent workers modern slavery risks providing short-term temporary support. Most of Prioritising key risk areas so that steps can be these skilled workers are in the US, UK and the taken to monitor those areas more closely Netherlands and are providing technical or and provide remediation if necessary specialist support. These workers are managed through a global agency as part At RELX, all employees have an obligation to conduct of our Reflex programme, where we provide business with integrity including respecting human detailed guidance and standards for managers rights. We have a governance structure in place to wishing to recruit contingent workers. support this very important objective, including

We understand skill-level can be an indication of personnel devoted to corporate responsibility, risk and that some countries are at higher risk for procurement, compliance, audit, corporate affairs, and human rights issues which is why, when prioritising legal. The CEO is responsible to the Board for the focus areas for avoiding human trafficking and ethical operation of our business, including respecting modern slavery, we consider location, type of work human rights, supported by the CEOs of our and employment status. businesses, the head of corporate affairs, the chief legal officer, the head of corporate responsibility, the chief procurement officer, and colleagues throughout our business.

3 ACCOUNTING FOR OUR ACTIONS TO Given the importance of maintaining an ethical AVOID MODERN SLAVERY supply chain, we have a Socially Responsible Supplier (SRS) programme encompassing all of We have an internal Modern Slavery Act working our businesses, supported by corporate group including representation from our four responsibility and colleagues with expertise in business areas and key corporate functions, operations, distribution and procurement and a chaired by corporate responsibility, including dedicated SRS Director from our global global procurement, legal, compliance, human procurement function. We use a country risk resources, government affairs, risk and audit, and ranking tool to determine risk in our supply company secretariat. The working group monitors chain. The tool, developed by Carnstone, progress on our commitments and provides incorporates eight indicators, including human critical input on our initiatives to prevent Modern trafficking information from the US State Slavery in our business. Department and Environmental Performance Index results produced by Yale University and OUR SUPPLY CHAIN partners, to determine the risk level RELX has a diverse supply chain: there were of each country. Based on this tool we focus on 145 countries in which we we spent more than suppliers primarily located in high and medium $1,000. These suppliers are spread across multiple risk countries, as designated by the tool categories including technology (hardware, We also monitor our supply chain by using our software, cloud, telecom, etc.), indirect (consulting, own commercial tools such as LexisNexis Entity marketing, contingent labour, travel, etc.), and Insight, which provides access to comprehensive direct (content, production services, print / paper global news content and company and market /bind, distribution, etc.). intelligence, alerting colleagues to potential supply chain disruptions and supplier risks.

RELX supplier country locations

4 ACTIONS TO AVOID SLAVERY to ensure that this still applies as Living rates of pay increase. AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN OUR DIRECT OPERATIONS In 2018, we made a pledge to the Equal Pay International Commission. In 2019, as part of our Our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (Code) commitments, we undertook a comprehensive review disseminated to every employee and publicly of our architecture to improve consistencies in pay. available at www.relx.com, sets the standard for our We launched a new HR Information System in the year, corporate and individual behaviour. The UNGC ten building in automated pay equity checks. Pay equity principles are reflected in our Code which stresses audits in key functions and geographies were our commitment to respecting human rights and completed in 2018 with adjustments made as supporting fair and non-discriminatory labour necessary in 2019. practices, among other provisions. It clearly states that we “support and respect international human To advance our 2019 commitments, we ran an internal rights” and work to “ensure that we are not Modern Slavery awareness campaign with special complicit in human rights abuses.” offerings for Anti-Slavery Day in October. The awareness campaign included a guide to assist The Code is available in 14 languages to ensure all employees in detecting modern slavery, a quiz and a our employees understand it. It is supplemented by panel discussion with experts from Intertek, our third other policies to further assist employees in party auditors; Carnstone, developers of our country complying with laws related to anti-bribery, risk ranking tool; the head of corporate responsibility competition, data privacy and security, trade and the head of our socially responsible supply chain sanctions and . programme which was streamed to employees

Employees receive mandatory training on The Code globally and made available on HOME, the RELX – both as new hires and at regular intervals intranet. during their tenure – in order to maintain a respectful workplace, prevent bribery and protect CONFIDENTIAL REPORTING & personal and company data. Mandatory periodic EMPLOYEE SUPPORT training covers key Code topics in depth and is We maintain compliance committees for all parts of supplemented by advanced in-person training for RELX . Employees are expected to report suspected higher-risk roles. We ensure training effectiveness violations of the Code or law to their manager, a through validation and feedback during and after human resources representative, a company lawyer the training. or the appropriate compliance committee. We are committed to an inclusive workplace, with We also offer employees a confidential reporting diversity that reflects our customers and line, the Integrity Line, managed by an independent communities, and a culture that welcomes third party, which is accessible by telephone or individuals and their contributions, regardless of online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As allowed gender, race or other personal characteristics under applicable law, employees may submit reports protected by law, as stated in our Inclusion Vision. to the Integrity Line anonymously. We are an employer. We are Reports of violations of the Code or related policies committed to treating all employees and applicants are promptly investigated, with careful tracking and for employment with respect and dignity, and we monitoring of violations and related mitigation and prohibit discrimination. We recruit, hire, develop, remediation efforts by the compliance team and promote, and provide conditions of employment compliance committees. The Code stipulates without regard to protected characteristics. protection against retaliation if a suspected violation We are a accredited employer in the of the Code or law is reported. Substantiated Code UK which means our employees and contractors are breaches are subject to disciplinary action, up to and paid a Living Wage. We monitor this each year including termination of employment.

5 The Integrity Line now also includes “Ask a Question” ACTIONS TO AVOID SLAVERY functionality which provides another avenue for employees to get ethics and compliance advice AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING before taking action. IN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN

RELX tracks all enquiries and reports received We have a comprehensive Supplier Code of through the Integrity Line plus any reports received, Conduct (Supplier Code), available in 16 languages, regardless of reporting mechanism. We analyse which we ask suppliers to agree and display violations and reports by subject matter, business prominently in the workplace. It commits them to line, and geography, among other categories; and following applicable laws, promoting best report trends and mitigation efforts to senior practices in their business operations, legal and management and the Audit Committee. To date, we ethical conduct and treating all individuals and the have not received any reports or questions from environment with respect, based on the ten employees that directly relate to modern slavery. principles of the UNGC referenced in our Supplier Code. During the year, we carried out human rights and modern slavery impact mapping on our operations We ask suppliers to require the same standards in through consultations with internal stakeholders to their supply chains, including requesting that better understand potential risks and impacts. This suppliers require subcontractors to enter into a project will be completed in 2020. written commitment to uphold the Supplier Code. The Supplier Code states that where local industry standards are higher than applicable legal requirements, we expect suppliers to meet the FOCUS AREAS higher standards.

To ensure we meet the same standards in our The Supplier Code contains provisions on child contingent workforce we will review our labour, involuntary labour, , coercion and processes for these workers. harassment, non-discrimination, association, health and safety, environment and anti- As a Living Wage Accredited employer in the corruption. In accordance with the UK’s Modern UK we want to ensure living wages are paid to Slavery Act 2015 and based on the American Bar all our employees. We commit to undertake Association’s Model Business Conduct Standards Living Wage reviews in four countries where to Eradicate Labor Human Rights Impacts in Hiring we have the largest employee populations and Supply Chain Practices, our Supplier Code over the next 3 years. specifically prohibits participation in any activity related to human trafficking.

Our Supplier Code states unequivocally that suppliers cannot directly or indirectly use, participate in, or benefit from involuntary workers, including human trafficking‐related activities.

To strengthen adherence to our Supplier Code, we embed it into standard terms and conditions (such as contracts and purchase orders). We require the employment agencies with which we work to adhere to the Supplier Code.

6 TRACKING SUPPLIERS Through our Socially Responsible Supplier (SRS) In 2019, there were 354 suppliers on the SRS database, we track suppliers with whom we spend tracking list, of which 102 are in high and medium >$1m and those located in medium and high-risk risk countries. At year end, 91% of suppliers on the countries as designated by our supplier risk tool, tracking list were signatories to our Supplier that incorporates eight indicators, including Code. Of the 33 non-signatories, 9 suppliers are in human trafficking information from the US State high or medium risk countries. We continue to Department and Environmental Performance work with non-signatories to gain agreement to Index results produced by Yale University and our Code, and/or assess whether they have partners with a spend of >$200K for a consecutive equivalent standards in place, in order to two-year period. We are proactive in that we ultimately decide whether to continue doing assess suppliers based on the aforementioned business with them. We have embedded the criteria and not after a non-compliance is Supplier Code into our sourcing process, and reported. The tracking list changes year-on-year have a total of 3,202 suppliers who have agreed to based on the suppliers we engage to meet the the Supplier Code in 2019, up from 3,082 in 2018. needs of our business.

Map of suppliers on the tracking list

7 MONITORING SUPPLIERS When an audit is scheduled, the auditor asks the facility to inform them what languages their Where required by law, suppliers must have employees speak, and if necessary, obtains its own employment contracts signed with all employees in outside interpreter. the applicable local language clearly outlining the employment relationship. They must comply with The auditor selects the employees and, to avoid local labour laws and upon hiring, inform their improper influence, facility management is not employees of the terms of their employment. allowed to select or suggest which employees are

interviewed or documents that are selected for We use our tracking list to identify suppliers for review. The auditor will select employees from a full audit. We engage a specialist external supply chain roster (and may select employees to interview on the auditor which undertook 93 external audits on our work floor during the facility walkthrough). Employee behalf in 2019. Audit locations in 2019 included interviews are private and confidential and facility Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, management is not allowed to be present. All Lithuania, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, information gathered from employee interviews is Russia, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom, anonymised. When the auditor communicates non- United States and Vietnam. All of Intertek’s auditors compliance to facility management, they are not undergo Compliance Practitioner Initiative (CPI) CSR allowed to disclose information which Lead auditor training. The training covers various could identify the employee or employees to avoid Human Rights standards including the United retaliation against employee(s), which is also Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the forbidden in the Supplier Code. International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Eight

Fundamental Conventions, the United An incidence of non-compliance triggers a Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human continuous improvement report summarising audit Rights, and the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base results, with remediation plans and submission dates Code. In addition to the CPI training, Intertek agreed and signed by both the auditor and the conducts periodic updated / refresher training to supplier. The auditors review evidence of corrections cover various topics such as human trafficking and which they accept or reject, working with suppliers modern slavery, land rights and other new or until full remediation is reached. emerging issues.

RELX has a tiered approach to remediation, as detailed in the table below:

8 Ensuring suppliers remediate any findings from audits is critical to confirm compliance with the EXCERPT FROM SUPPLIER CODE Supplier Code. We have a defined process in place ON INVOLUNTARY LABOUR with increased communication both internally and "Suppliers will not directly or indirectly use, externally in an effort to help suppliers remediate participate in, or benefit from involuntary Zero and Major findings within the defined timelines. workers, including human trafficking related If a supplier does not remediate Zero and Major ‐ activities, for example: (i) using misleading or findings within the deadline, we will work with fraudulent or engagement internal stakeholders to define next steps (e.g., practices for employees or contract workers alternative suppliers, exit strategy, etc.). (ii) charging employees and/or contract

workers recruitment or engagement fees; (iii) Areas covered in the audit include: destroying, concealing, confiscating, or Labour (child / , discrimination, otherwise denying access by an employee or discipline, harassment / abuse, association, and any contract worker to his or her identity labour contracts) documents, such as passports or drivers' Wages and hours (wages benefits; and working licenses); or (iv) using workers who are hours) imprisoned, indentured, bonded, military or Health and safety (general work facility, slaves.” emergency preparedness, , machine safety, safety hazards, chemical and hazardous material, dormitory and canteen) Management systems (documentation and records, worker feedback and participation, audits and corrective action process) Environment (legal compliance, environmental management systems, waste and air emissions) Anti-corruption and data security questions

The Supplier Code states, “Failure to comply with any RELX term, condition, requirement, policy or procedure…may result in the cancellation of all existing orders and termination of the business relationship between RELX and supplier.”

We understand that audits are a helpful diagnostic tool and work effectively to identify risks alongside other measures. We aim to build meaningful relationships with our suppliers to foster dialogue on labour and other issues. In the past year, we provided training on avoiding human trafficking and modern slavery for procurement colleagues and solicited feedback to better understand their challenges. In 2020, we will update our interactive anti-human trafficking and modern slavery training for procurement colleagues, managers across the business, as well as suppliers.

9 As a result of 2019 audits, we required: PROGRESS ON PRIOR suppliers to ensure regular working COMMITMENTS & NEXT STEPS 4 hours do not exceed allowable limits In 2019, we held training workshops on under applicable law or agreement avoiding human trafficking and modern slavery with Global Procurement colleagues.

suppliers to ensure total We also refined our human rights risk hours not exceed allowable limits 10 mapping to progress human rights impact under applicable law or agreement assessments. This has involved stakeholder engagement with internal stakeholders, suppliers to provide complete proof including Global Procurement. 3 of age records As a result of this work, we have identified two primary supply chain focus areas for suppliers to allow employees at 2020: we will conduct a human rights risk least one day off following six assessment of our building management 15 services, including cleaners who are often consecutive days worked low-skilled, vulnerable workers. Secondly, we will work with colleagues in our UK events suppliers to require agencies who business to identify suppliers supporting provide employees to have signed shows in high-risk countries as part of our 5 employment contracts with all human rights impact assessment work. employees dispatched to the facility In 2020, we will also continue Our suppliers and their employees can report any training procurement colleagues to empower grievances to a dedicated RELX email address. them to raise any concerns with We did not receive any complaints in 2019 related suppliers during supplier visits. We will to human trafficking or modern slavery. also create an ethical supplier channel on our training portal, concentrating on suppliers located in high risk areas.

10 ADVOCACY We also offer Access to Justice Law360, which provides free content to enable legal aid We promote the rule of law through our products organisations and others to help citizens with the and services, particularly those of LexisNexis fewest resources gain equal treatment within civil Legal & Professional, which help legal and criminal justice systems. professionals and support governments and justice systems, to function more effectively. Our LexisNexis Risk Solutions business assists in the We make laws accessible to increase the recovery of missing and exploited children through transparency of legal systems as a fundamental the Automated Delivery of Alerts on Missing Children element of a healthy society and growing (ADAM) programme which they developed. ADAM economy. We are bold advocates for the rule of law examines a database of all possible recipients of a and provide training and access to our legal missing child poster within a specific geographical tools and solutions. search area and, within minutes, circulates the posters to police, news media, schools, businesses, Our Rule of Law Working Group, comprised of medical centres and other recipients. Since launching colleagues from across our business helps track in 2000, 184 children have been located, including 2 in and expand our rule of law activities. We are an 2019 ADAM is designated for use by the National active member of the UNGC Sustainable Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Development Goals (SDGs) Action Platform 16 the US. Throughout 2019, we worked to expand (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) to help consumer opt-ins to allow individuals to receive an businesses go beyond legal minimums to advance email alert when a child is reported missing near to the rule of law and sustainable development. them, with over 2300 registrations to date.

The free RELX SDG Resource Centre features In the UK, we work with Missing People providing content on avoiding human trafficking and access to our tools and resources to help modern slavery and also features tools like the in their search for missing children and adults. In the LexisNexis Rule of Law Impact Tracker developed year, with free access to LexisNexis Risk Solutions with the World Justice Project to show the link TraceIQ® product, Missing People re-launched its Lost between the rule of law and sustainable Connect service, helping people to reconnect with development; stronger rule of law leads to higher someone missing who is not legally missing or at risk GDP per capita and life expectancy, lower child in the eyes of the law. mortality, homicide, and corruption. LexisNexis Legal & Professional and STOP THE The SDG Resource Centre also features TRAFFIK a non-governmental organisation dedicated eyeWitness to Atrocities, developed with the to eradicating human trafficking, published Dressed International Bar Association, which allows to Kill, available on the RELX Group SDG Resource citizens to securely and verifiably report human Centre. The report raises awareness about forced rights atrocities, including human trafficking and labour and human trafficking in the cotton industry, modern slavery, so the information can be for companies and consumers, with actions to used as evidence in law courts. Anyone with an eliminate and reduce related risk. Android-enabled smartphone – from journalists and investigators to affected citizens – can LexisNexis Legal & Professional is providing download the free app and help bring perpetrators pro bono expertise to the Australian Human Rights to account for crimes against humanity, including Commission on The Human Rights and Technology human trafficking. eyeWitness utilises the same Project, which considers how we protect and promote technology LexisNexis Legal & Professional human rights in the context of new and emerging deploys to safeguard sensitive and confidential technologies. material for its clients.

141 PARTNERSHIPS At RELX, we recognize the importance of multi- stakeholder partnerships to achieve greater impact. We participate in a number of partnerships to advance progress against modern slavery:

This statement has been approved by the RELX Board on 11 February 2020.

Sir Anthony Habgood, Chairman

[1] In accordance with Section 54 of the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015, this RELX Modern Slavery Act Statement 2019 covers the following RELX subsidiaries: RELX (UK) Ltd [www.lexisnexis.co.uk]; Butterworths Ltd [www.lexisnexis.co.uk]; Elsevier Ltd [www.uk.elsevierhealth.com]; Reed Business Information Ltd [www.reedbusiness.com]; and Reed Exhibitions Ltd [www.reedexhibitions.com]

1452