Modern Slavery Statement

RSM acknowledges that some of its subscribers, including its most celebrated benefactor, George Frideric Handel, benefited - directly or indirectly - from wealth derived from the transatlantic slave trade. RSM notes academic papers written by David Harris and Ellen T Hunter on this matter. RSM acknowledges this aspect of its legacy and accepts the responsibility to reflect on and address the ethical implications it carries today.

Modern Slavery Policy

As an unincorporated charity, The Royal Society of Musicians (RSM) is exempt from the legal requirements of Section 54 (1) of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 however, the charity remains committed to operating as ethically and responsibly as possible. The charity understands the risk that modern slavery could be present in any part of its operations and supply chains and has evaluated the associated risks and, where appropriate, taken action to minimise those risks.

The charity recognises that ongoing vigilance is essential, and Governors and staff will incorporate this policy into all current and future activities.

The charity has assessed the risk of encountering modern slavery in the following areas and where necessary, planned additional actions to reduce identified risks:

Investments
Fine instruments
Beneficiaries
Members
Supply chain
Donations

Investments

The RSM recognises that complex company structures of the companies in the RSM investment portfolio means that Governors and Staff are unqualified to investigate the risks within those organisations for modern slavery. Via the RSM's investment broker, the Governors have outsourced environmental, social and governance research into each of these companies to Ethical & Environmental Screening Services Ltd.

Companies are scored against a benchmark for the labour and ethical standards of their supply chain. These scores are combined with scores for environmental and governance behaviours to produce an overall environmental, social and governance (ESG) score.

It was agreed by Governors in 2022 that the RSM should hold no more than 5% of total portfolio value in companies that score below the third quartile ESG score as determined by Ethical & Environmental Screening Services Ltd.

Where companies fall below the third quartile, Governors seek further details to fully understand the reasons why a company scores badly and the ethical risks that investing in that company carries.

Fine instruments

All donations of instruments accepted by the RSM are done so in reference to the guidance offered by the Charity Commission in relation to accepting, refusing and returning donations.

The Charity has a legal obligation to return any donations which come from illegal sources. As such, any donations from sources which can be traced to modern day slavery will be returned to the donor.

The Governors take all reasonable steps to identify donors and investigate the provenance of all musical instrument donations.

In the case of legacies which cannot be returned, the RSM will use or sell the instrument with full acknowledgment and transparency of the instrument's provenance and the funds raised will be used for the RSM's charitable purposes.

Where instruments, or shares of instruments are purchased as part of a syndicate, all reasonable steps are taken to establish the provenance of the instrument and, where appropriate, enquiries will be made into co-investors to ensure that they have no links to modern day slavery.

All musicians with stewardship and custody of instruments owned by the RSM shall be made aware of the RSM's modern slavery policy in line with the user agreement and must bear it in mind when accepting engagements to play.

Members and beneficiaries

The RSM recognises the risks of modern slavery in its safeguarding policies and procedures. If a Member or beneficiary is identified as at risk or a victim of modern slavery or trafficking, a referral will be made to the RSM safeguarding lead and safeguarding procedures will be followed as per the RSM safeguarding policy. All staff will be trained to look out for the signs of modern slavery and trafficking.

Supply chain

The RSM uses a number of suppliers to carry out its activities which include:

Administration activities
Member events
Property maintenance

The RSM commits to writing a procurement policy which removes the risk of modern day slavery from the supply chain which will be rolled out across all of the RSM's activities.

Donations

All donations accepted by the RSM are done so in reference to the guidance offered by the Charity Commission in relation to accepting, refusing and returning donations.

The Charity has a legal obligation to return any funds which come from illegal sources. As such, any donations from sources which can be traced to modern day slavery will be returned to the donor.

The RSM will take all reasonable steps to identify donors and will investigate the provenance of all substantial donations.

Approved by the Governors on 23 April 2025