VS&Co realizes that responsible business practices start with partnering with suppliers and factories that have an excellent compliance track record and share our core values. To that end, all of our associates involved in the production and purchasing process must understand the critical role they play in that process. Our Associate Code of Conduct outlines our standards and expectations and also addresses the consequences of noncompliance. We are committed to providing these associates with ongoing training and educational opportunities to keep teams vigilant and fully engaged.

Associates who influence decisions in VC&O's supply chain received a course called "Modern Slavery Awarness” to ensure they are aware of the risks of modern slavery in our supply chain, can recognize the warning signs and know what tools are available to report any concerns of forced labor or human trafficking in the supply chain. The training was developed in alignment with the ILO Indicators of Forced Labor.

To support our responsible sourcing efforts, we established a Foreign Migrant Worker Policy to ensure that we mitigate the risk of human trafficking or forced labor within our supply chain. Factories that employ migrant workers must be approved by VS&Co executive leadership after the completion of a comprehensive Foreign Migrant Worker Risk Assessment with satisfactory results. If approved, the factory is closely monitored annually to ensure there are no forced labor violations and that workers have freedom of movement and are treated in accordance with the law. 

This process allows us to manage risk in the factories we use. During the calendar year 2022, there were no sites with foreign migrant workers added for production. Foreign migrant workers continue to account for less than 1 percent of the overall worker population. 

We also have a supplier scorecard that incentivizes strong labor and workplace standards as well as other criteria. Suppliers who have more than 20 years of history with us and have solid compliance performance receive a higher percentage of our order volume. The scorecard is reviewed with suppliers as needed when issues arise.