Sterling Furniture Group Limited
Modern Slavery Statement 2025/26
Published pursuant to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015
Our Business
Sterling Furniture Group Limited trades as Sterling Home and is a third-generation, family-owned furniture and homewares retailer operating across 9 store locations throughout Scotland. We are Scotland's largest independent furniture and homewares retailer, employing approximately 355 people across our retail, distribution, catering, and head office functions.
All of our retail operations are based in Scotland. Our distribution function operates from a central warehouse, with deliveries carried out using a combination of our own vehicle fleet, third-party logistics providers, and supplier direct delivery.
Our Statement
Slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking are issues of increasing global concern, affecting all sectors, regions, and economies. Modern slavery is fundamentally unacceptable within our business and supply chains and forms an important part of our broader approach to human rights.
As a family-owned business, Sterling Furniture Group is committed to respecting, protecting, and championing the human rights of all those who work within our operations, including employees, supply chain workers, contractors, customers, and local communities. We operate a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery throughout all our business operations and expect the same high standards from all our suppliers and contractors.
We accept our responsibility to support transparency, to identify and resolve problems, and to work with others to protect the rights of workers, particularly those most vulnerable to exploitation.
Our Supply Chain
Sterling Home sources products from the UK and globally, using established wholesalers, suppliers, and manufacturers. Our product range spans upholstery, beds, cabinets, dining, and homewares, using a wide range of substrates including timber, fabrics, metals, and glass.
We have long-standing, valued relationships with our suppliers, who share our values and take appropriate steps to protect both their own workforce and those of their sub-suppliers. We acknowledge that products sourced from overseas, particularly outside the EU, carry an increased potential exposure to modern slavery within global supply networks, both through the sourcing of raw materials and the manufacturing process itself.
Our supply base is categorised by risk according to sourcing route and geography:
| Sourcing Category | Description | Risk Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Asia / Non-EU Import | Products sourced directly from suppliers outside the EU | Highest |
| EU Import | Products sourced directly from suppliers within the EU | Medium |
| UK Based | Products purchased from and manufactured within the UK | Lower |
Our Procedures
The following measures are in place to help identify and reduce the risk of modern slavery within our business and supply chain:
- Recruitment. All new employees are subject to right to work checks and identity verification prior to commencing employment.
- Service Level Agreement. We have introduced a formal Service Level Agreement for our supplier base, which includes section 2.5 setting out our expectations in relation to workforce conditions, exploitation, and the Modern Slavery Act 2015, including a requirement for suppliers to hold their own Modern Slavery Policy. We are working through our supplier base to ensure all have signed and acknowledged this agreement.
- Whistleblowing. Sterling Home operates a whistleblowing policy that allows employees, contractors, and third parties to report concerns about unethical practices, including suspected modern slavery, confidentially and without fear of reprisal.
- Employee Code of Conduct. Our employee code of conduct covers all aspects of employment including anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and modern slavery obligations.
- Awareness. Relevant managers and buying staff are made aware of modern slavery risks and their responsibilities under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. This statement is made available to all employees.
Risk Assessment
As an organisation we recognise that the risk of modern slavery is heightened in areas of our business and supply chain where the following factors are present:
- Migrant labour, whether cross-border or within a country
- High presence of refugees or displaced persons
- Young workers and risk of child labour
- Contract and agency workers
- Women workers
- Use of third-party logistics and delivery contractors
The following table sets out the key risk areas identified and the actions we are taking to mitigate them:
| Risk Area | Issue | Action / Status |
|---|---|---|
| Migrant Labour | Workers may be subjected to bonded or forced labour, deceptive recruitment practices, or may not understand their rights or employment terms in the destination country. | Supplier obligations set out in Sterling's Service Level Agreement (section 2.5). Audit programme maintained for higher-risk supply categories. |
| Refugees and Young / Child Labour | Refugees and young workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, and forced labour. Countries of highest risk include Bangladesh, China, India, Pakistan and Turkey. | Audit programme in place for higher-risk suppliers. All new employees subject to age verification and right to work checks. |
| Contract and Agency Workers | Contract workers are often less secure in employment and more vulnerable to exploitation. Additional layers of labour recruiters can expose workers to deceptive or coercive practices. | All third-party contractors required to comply with Sterling's Modern Slavery Policy. Right to work checks conducted for all staff. |
| Women Workers | Women are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, human trafficking, and bonded labour across all source countries. | Supplier audits include assessment of gender-specific risks. All source countries treated as in scope for this risk category. |
| Delivery and Distribution | Use of third-party delivery contractors and supplier direct delivery introduces additional supply chain layers where labour practices may be less visible. | We maintain long-standing relationships with our logistics providers and seek to work with partners who operate responsibly. This remains an area we will look to develop further. |
Due Diligence
Working with Our Suppliers
We have introduced a formal Service Level Agreement for our supplier base, which includes explicit requirements under section 2.5 for suppliers to ensure safe and healthy working conditions, proper payment of workers, and compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Suppliers are required to hold a valid Modern Slavery Policy of their own and to demonstrate that ethical issues are effectively managed throughout their business. We are actively working through our supplier base to ensure all suppliers have signed and acknowledged this agreement.
Our buying and management teams maintain regular contact with key suppliers, and support for the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act is a condition of our ongoing commercial relationships.
Third-Party Logistics and Contractors
We use a combination of our own delivery fleet, third-party logistics providers, and supplier direct delivery. We maintain long-standing relationships with our principal logistics partners and seek to work with providers who conduct their operations responsibly and lawfully.
Employee Awareness
We recognise the importance of awareness in identifying and preventing modern slavery. Relevant managers and buying staff with supply chain responsibility are made aware of modern slavery risks and their obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. This statement is published on our website and made available to all employees.
Whistleblowing
Sterling Home's whistleblowing policy enables all personnel, whether internal or external to the business, to report any concerns about unethical practices, including modern slavery, safely and confidentially.
Effectiveness
We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of our approach to modern slavery through our supplier agreements, the speed and quality of corrective actions taken in response to any issues identified, and our ongoing commitment to awareness among staff with supply chain responsibility.
We will review and update this statement annually and will continue to develop our approach to modern slavery risk in a manner proportionate to the size and nature of our business.
Approval
This statement is made pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and has been approved by the Board of Directors of Sterling Furniture Group Limited. It constitutes our Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement for the financial year 2025/26.
Euan Graham
Director, Sterling Furniture Group Limited
March 2026