Report on Forced and Child Labour in Supply Chains Fiscal Year 2023
Gillfor Distribution Inc. (“Gillfor”) is committed to building partnerships from coast-to-coast with premier vendors and customers by promoting the highest quality products and providing exceptional service through an honest, engaged and dedicated team.
Gillfor is committed to understanding our supply chain and implementing measures to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labour or child labour in its operating activities and in those of its supply chain.
Structure/Activities/Supply Chain
Gillfor Distribution Inc is a leading distributor of building products in Canada. Gillfor Distribution is Canada’s largest privately held distribution company and is proudly 100% Canadian owned and operated. With 13 strategically located distribution centers across Canada, Gillfor Distribution is your one stop shop for residential, commercial and industrial building materials from coast to coast.
During the 2023 Fiscal Year, virtually all of Gillfor’s purchases were made from North American Suppliers. With approximately 75% of Gillfor’s business coming from the sale of lumber and other forestry products which is sourced from within Canada and the U.S., the risk of forced labour or child labour is mitigated.
Gillfor does understand that Canadian and U.S. suppliers may source products from other downstream suppliers and we are reviewing best practices to diminish any potential risk from outside sources.
Policies and Due Diligence
Gillfor is committed to strengthening and enforcing policies to ensure that we are purchasing from Companies that are committed to reducing or omitting the risk of forced labour and child labour in the supply chain.
As part of Gillfor’s commitment to fight against forced labour and child labour in supply chains, Gillfor is dedicated to perform employee training to help employees identify and report any suspected instances, more notably on the purchasing side. We encourage our employees to know the supplier and perform plant tours, to speak up and ask questions.
Risk Assessment
Gillfor has long term relationships with many our suppliers. The risk of forced labour and child labour in the supply chain is minimal due to the location of our suppliers, many of which are public companies. Gillfor’s global supply chain is limited to countries where protection against breaches of human rights are limited.
The nature of Gillfor’s business is wholesale distribution of lumber and building materials. This is a low sector risk company as the majority of the business is not purchasing manufactured goods.
Transaction risks are low as Gillfor is dealing with Canadian and U.S. banks only.
The supplier and business partnerships that have been established are long term partnerships and an excellent knowledge of partner’s operations and policies has been established. Any new relationships we believe would be low risk as proper due diligence is conducted.
In accordance with the requirements of the Act, and in particular section 11 thereof, I attest that I have reviewed the information contained in the report for the entity listed above. Based on my knowledge, and having exercised reasonable diligence, I attest that the information in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects for the purposes of the Act, for the reporting year listed above.
Signed:
Navjot Dosanjh
President/CEO
Gillfor Distribution Inc.
Date: May 28, 2024.
