SDI Group plc supports fully the principles and provisions set out in the Modern Slavery Act (“the Act”). The Act requires organisations to publish a modern slavery act statement on an annual basis where they have a global turnover of over £36 million, carry on business in the UK and supply goods or services. This statement explains the steps that have been taken to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place across our business and supply chains.

The Board of SDI Group plc is committed to identifying Modern Slavery risks across its businesses and supply chain which include, slavery, human trafficking, child labour and forced/compulsory labour (together “Modern Slavery”) and to ensuring that there is no Modern Slavery either within its businesses or within its principal supply chains.

Regulatory demands upon SDI Group plc and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) vary considerably around the world and as a decentralised set of businesses, the Board has allocated responsibility to local senior management teams, under the direction of Executive Management, to ensure that each trading subsidiary is fully compliant with both the Modern Slavery Act and any applicable local anti-slavery requirements.

Our business and structure

SDI Group companies design and manufacture scientific and technology products for use in digital imaging and sensing and control applications across a number of different industries including life sciences, healthcare, astronomy, plastics and packaging, manufacturing, precision optics, measurement instrumentation and art conservation. The SDI Group employed, on average, around 500 people across 14 businesses based in the UK, US and Europe. Each of our businesses trade independently from each other and operate in separate global niche markets. Each business has less than 100 employees and operates autonomously, with each local management team empowered to operate their business but within an appropriate governance framework as set out by the Group. None of the SDI Group plc subsidiaries are therefore individually within the scope of the Modern Slavery Act.

SDI Group plc is the parent company that employs the management team who set the framework under which our businesses operate. SDI Group plc does not provide any services or supply goods to third parties.

Further information on SDI Group plc and its businesses are set out on the Company’s website www.sdigroup.com.

Our approach to the Act

The Group has a culture of respect, accountability and continuous improvement and requires that employees act fairly in their dealings with all stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, fellow employees and business partners. We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our business or in our supply chains.

The Group has a Disclosure of Public Interest Matters Policy (‘Whistleblowing’) which allows colleagues in any of the Group’s businesses to raise concerns confidentially and anonymously in relation to any concerns, including Modern slavery. This is included within the Employee Handbook which is adopted across the Group, with new subsidiaries updating their local handbooks as soon as practicable. We will be updating the Whistleblowing policy in due course.

SDI Group plc businesses actively manage their supply chains to ensure good levels of inventory and supply. A large proportion of our supply chain operates in the UK, Europe and North America. It is our aim as a Group to further develop our understanding of our supply chains and harmonise the approach to supplier due diligence across our businesses. We will be looking more closely at this over the forthcoming year.

The Chief Executive Officer will continue to lead this important agenda for the Group and SDI Group PLC will report in 2025 on further steps that have been taken in the current year to maintain strong policies on Modern Slavery.

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes SDI Group’s modern slavery statement for 2024.

This statement was approved by the Board of SDI Group PLC on 19 April 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

Stephen Brown
Chief Executive Officer