This statement applies to Argenta Limited and its affiliates (referred to in this statement as ‘the Organisation’). The information included in the statement refers to the financial year 2022.
About Argenta
Argenta is a combined global contract research organization (CRO) and contract development & manufacturing organization (CDMO) specialised in animal health and helps companies in the animal health and nutrition space along the product development journey. Argenta has proprietary drug delivery technology across chew matrixes, transdermal, dispersible granule, controlled-release microsphere, and controlled-release intraruminal capsule technology platforms. The services Argenta can offer customers include formulation development, regulatory affairs, clinical studies, data management, and general consultancy related to bringing new veterinary pharmaceutical or nutritional product to market. Argenta also manufactures products at developmental and commercial scale. The company has research and/or GMP manufacturing operations in Germany, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom (Scotland), and the United States.
Argenta Group Structure
Mercurio Topco Limited is the organisations’ ultimate holding company. Argenta has operating companies incorporated in Europe, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The organisation is controlled by a board of directors.
Definitions
The Organisation considers that modern slavery encompasses:
Commitment
The Organisation acknowledges its responsibilities in relation to tackling modern slavery and commits to complying with the provisions in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Organisation understands that this requires an ongoing review of both its internal practices in relation to its labour force and, additionally, its supply chains.
The Organisation does not enter into business with any other organisation, in the United Kingdom or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to involve itself in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.
No labour provided to the Organisation in the pursuance of the provision of its own services is obtained by means of slavery or human trafficking. The Organisation strictly adheres to the minimum standards required in relation to its responsibilities under relevant employment legislation in Europe, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States of America and in many cases exceeds those minimums in relation to its employees.
Supply chains
In order to fulfil its activities, the main supply chains of the Organisation include pharmaceutical products and components from various suppliers from around the world. All Argenta suppliers are qualified through our Quality Management System (QMS) and must adhere to GMP compliance requirements and quality audits on a regular basis.
Argenta’s Staff
Argenta complies with minimum and living wage requirements in all the countries in which it operates. The New Zealand organisation has two Collective Employment Agreements in effect that outline standard employment terms and conditions for manufacturing and quality employees who choose to join the Union. These Collective Agreements are determined through good faith bargaining between Argenta and the Northern Chemical Workers Union.
Potential exposure and identifying risk
In general, the Organisation considers its exposure to slavery/human trafficking to be relatively limited. Nonetheless, it has taken steps to ensure that such practices do not take place in its business nor the business of any organisation that supplies goods and/or services to it.
Steps
The Organisation carries out due diligence processes in relation to ensuring slavery and/or human trafficking does not take place in its organisation or supply chains, including conducting a review of the controls of its suppliers. This happens as part of the qualification of all external suppliers through our QMS and subsequent supplier audits.
The Organisation has not, to its knowledge, conducted any business with another organisation which has been found to have involved itself with modern slavery.
In accordance with section 54(4) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the Organisation has taken the following steps to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place:
Agenta Staff
Suppliers
Our effectiveness in combating slavery
No reports were made under any of our global company policies (as set out below) with respect to Modern Slavery Act issues. No findings or remedial actions have been reported or required in the last 12 months.
Policies
The Organisation has the following policies which further define its stance on modern slavery
Argenta is also in the process of developing a Global Recruitment and Selection Policy that will incorporate modern slavery act compliance.
Training
All appropriate staff are provided with awareness, instruction and ongoing training with respect to all of Argenta’s Global Policies.
Board Approval
This statement has been approved by the Chief Executive Officer of Argenta on behalf of the Board of Directors. The policy will be reviewed and updated as appropriate for each financial year.
Date of approval: 15 November 2022
Will Downie
Chief Executive Officer
