Conflict Minerals Statement

Blockchain Merchantile Company is committed to ethical business principles and the promotion of human rights. This includes the responsible manufacturing of our products and the responsible sourcing of materials. Blockchain Merchantile Company requires its suppliers to share in this commitment and have established the Blockchain Merchantile Company Supplier Code of Conduct which outlines our expectations of Blockchain Merchantile Company suppliers in conducting business in a legal, ethical and responsible manner. Our Supplier Code of Conduct requires suppliers to ensure that parts and products supplied to Blockchain Merchantile Company containing tungsten, tantalum, tin and gold, be Conflict-free. Conflict-free parts and products contain no metals derived from “Conflict Minerals” such that they directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups through mining or mineral trading. Blockchain Merchantile Company is working with its suppliers to conduct due diligence and implement policies and procedures so that Blockchain Merchantile Company may make proper and accurate disclosures and to enable our products to be Conflict-free. Due diligence methods employed by Blockchain Merchantile Company and its suppliers are based on those described in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.

Modern Slavery Statement

Modern slavery is a heinous crime and a morally reprehensible act that deprives a person's liberty and dignity for another person's gain. It is a real problem for millions of people around the world, including many in developed countries, who are being kept and exploited in various forms of slavery. Every company is at risk of being involved in this crime through its own operations and its supply chain.

At Blockchain Merchantile Company, we have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and are fully committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in our operation and supply chain. We have taken concrete steps to tackle modern slavery, as outlined in our statement. This statement sets out the actions that we have taken to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to our business and to implement steps to prevent slavery and human trafficking

We establish a relationship of trust and integrity with all our suppliers, which is built upon mutually beneficial factors. Our supplier selection and on-boarding procedure include due diligence of the supplier's reputation, respect for the law, compliance with health, safety and environmental standards, and references.

We haven't been made aware of any allegations of human trafficking/slavery activities against any of our suppliers, but if we were, then we would act immediately against the supplier and report it to the authorities.

Blockchain Merchantile Company operates the following policies for identifying and preventing slavery and human trafficking in our operations:

•   Whistleblowing Policy - we encourage all employees, customers and suppliers to report any suspicion of slavery or human trafficking without fear of retaliation. We provide a confidential helpline to protect the identity of whistle-blowers.
•   Code of Conduct - our code encourages employees to do the right thing by clearly stating the actions and behaviour expected of them when representing the business. We strive to maintain the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behaviour when operating abroad and managing our supply chain.
•   Purchasing Code - we have updated our Purchasing Code and supplier contracts to make explicit reference to slavery and human trafficking.

Blockchain Merchantile Company conducts due diligence on all new suppliers during on-boarding and on existing suppliers at regular intervals. This includes:

•   Assessing risks in the provision of particular services
•   Auditing the suppliers, and their health and safety standards, labour relations and employee contracts
•   Requiring improvements to substandard employment practices
•   Sanctioning suppliers that fail to improve their performance in line with our requirements

We require all suppliers to attest that:

•   They don't use any form of forced, compulsory or slave labour
•   Their employees work voluntarily and are entitled to leave work
•   They don't require employees to post a deposit/bond and don't withhold their salaries for any reasons
•   They don't require employees to surrender their passports or work permits.

Blockchain Merchantile Company has raised awareness of modern slavery issues by putting up posters across our facilities and sending an email that is focused specifically on modern slavery to all our staff, which explains:

•   Our commitment to the fight against modern slavery
•   Red flags for potential cases of slavery or human trafficking
•   How employees should report suspicions of modern slavery

Health & Safety Statement

Coming soon ...