Hamleys’ rich history began with William Hamley, a Cornishman from Bodmin, England. Mr. Hamley dreamed of opening the best toy shop in the world, which germinated when he opened his first shop at Holborn, London in 1760. 261 years later, Hamleys is synonymous with bringing magical experiences and joy to children. As the finest toy shop in the world, Hamleys’ unique retail experience includes play opportunities for children, engaging store design, expertise in customer service, and incredible toy demonstration. Extending significantly farther than the famous London toy shop, Hamleys as a global brand is currently trading across 16 countries & 201 stores in countries such as UK, India, UAE, China, and Russia, among others. In May 2019, Reliance Brands Limited marked its first international foray by acquiring Hamleys global operations. RBL has been operating Hamleys’ India stores since 2010 and is recognized as a trend setter for new and magical experiences for children.
At Hamleys, we believe that respect for human rights is integral to being a conscientious company. We want to ensure that everyone who interacts with our company globally, whether it is as a creator, supplier, handler, transporter and myriad other roles, is working in accordance with the highest humanitarian laws. These laws help prevent forced, bonded and trafficked labour, unfair pay, corrupt practices, discrimination, harsh or inhumane treatment, hygienic and safe working environment, minimum of living wage payment, no excessive working hours, (from Ent.) and any other practices that question fundamental human rights. Hamleys’ aim is to ensure that all of the products we sell have been sourced responsibly, every step of the way, and in every corner of the world. While this is not simple, Hamleys is strongly committed to its ethical and moral duties for tackling modern slavery through due diligence and transparency of our supply chains. This statement, signed by the Director and approved by the Hamleys Board of Directors, is made in accordance with the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.
As part of our QA manual sent and signed by all vendors, Hamleys aims to only use vendors who have an approved valid 3rd party CSR audit - the main acceptable audits being ICTI (International Council of Toy Industries), SMETA or BSCI 2.0. Operating across the world, we contribute to, and lend support to, the local economies and communities around us. We add value to societies both directly and indirectly through our business operations and by partnering with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on community programmes. We understand that a responsible and transparent supply chain can help promote the protection of human rights, fair and safe labor practices, and ethical business conduct. We also believe that these practices can help create a sense of security and protection in the minds of our people.
We only work with reputable staffing agencies & ensure that they have a Gang Masters License. We also ensure that our staff are at least 18 years of age and they are eligible to work in the UK. If we suspect that a member of the team/supply chain is being made to work under duress or any inhumane conditions, we have an internal whistleblowing policy that allows for anonymous reporting and escalation, before involving law enforcement officials. Anonymity allows for our people to bring to our attention ill-practices while feeling safe and secure. Their comfort and mental well-being is of utmost importance to us and we ensure to work towards providing them with a secure and respectful workplace.
It is our aim to ensure that all staff employed directly by Hamleys are provided with awareness training with respect of the Modern Slavery Act. This enables them to recognize it, mitigate any risks in their day to day employment, and provide a means to report it anonymously. Our HR policies also include a working-hours policy and an anti–bribery policy, and our wages and benefits meet or exceed the national legal minimum wage.
We at Hamleys understand the importance of imbibing respect for human rights and zero tolerance for modern slavery, hence we encourage and provide our employees with a safe haven to raise any concerns and yet feel secure. We respect their needs and ensure to work towards fulfilling them. We further believe that our people are our greatest assets and hence we thrive to make lasting improvements to employment practices by providing continuous development opportunities, and ensuring employee health and wellbeing, along with maintaining safe workplace conditions across the company.
We will continue to evolve our procedures and audits to ensure our supply chains are free from slavery, human trafficking, and fair pay globally. We will be conducting a thorough supply chain review to ensure we have identified any key risks. We believe that our focus on transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain will help identify possible risks which can then be addressed to help provide a happy and secure workspace to our employees.
