Our business

Governance

Responsible businesses are reliant on good governance. We’re managed and governed by the International Executive Committee (IEC) and the Board. The IEC advises on the day-to-day management of the firm and has overall responsibility for achieving the firm’s business and strategic objectives. Several other governance streams which ensure we act responsibly are:

• Business Acceptance Committee
• Audit Committee
• Climate Committee
• Risk Committee

Find out more about our story.

Human rights, ethics and integrity

At Simmons, we are steadfast in our commitment to upholding human rights across all facets of our operations. Our Human Rights Policy is a cornerstone of this commitment, and we expect all partners, employees, consultants, contractors, and third parties to adhere to it in their dealings on behalf of the Firm. This policy is linked with several other key policies and procedures, including our Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Bullying and Harassment Policy, Performance Management procedures, Grievance procedure, Health and Safety Policy and procedures, and our Global Whistleblowing Policy.

Internally, our Code of Conduct sets the standards expected from our people across our international network in addition to adhering to the regulations and professional rules set by local regulators in each jurisdiction. Our Code of Conduct is supported by key policies such as our Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy, Whistleblowing Policy, and Business Acceptance Policy, which collectively define our desired responsible business behaviour. These frameworks ensure that we operate with integrity and accountability, reinforcing our dedication to ethical practices worldwide.

We are committed to combatting modern slavery within our business and in our supply chain. For more information, please read our modern slavery statement for the financial year ending 30 April 2024.

Supply chain

Our Supplier Code of Conduct, launched in 2023, sets out our expectations that our suppliers will maintain the highest standards of human rights and sustainability in their workplace and wider operations. The Supplier Code of Conduct covers five key areas of sustainability:

• Labour practices and conditions
• Sustainability and environmental issues
• Ethics and anti-corruption
• Data security and privacy
• Diversity and inclusion

Every new supplier must commit to the Code. 

Our goal is to continuously improve supplier performance, whether that be through working with suppliers to remediate non-compliance with our policies, or working together to better understand how they can make a positive change on issues such as D&I. This work is complex given our international footprint, but we are investing time to improve our positive influence and reach.

For more information see our Supplier Code of Conduct.

Enterprise risk management

Our enterprise risk management team are responsible for standardising the operational risk management framework and data protection compliance activities in line with the law, professional obligation and management of the response to each risk.

We ensure visibility and accountability by using our supplier due diligence system and tool to gain better insights about the ESG impacts of our supply chain. We also have a tailored internal risk monitoring tool which we use to identify climate related risks and opportunities to the firm, which we can measure and monitor progress against.

Technology, AI and innovation

Our approach to doing business responsibly includes using technology and AI to be both innovative and responsible, in a way that aligns with our values.

We are leaders in the industry when it comes to using technology to effectively deliver client service. Our aim when working on innovative technology solutions, or using generative AI, is to explore the opportunities in a safe and responsible way.

A key element of this practice is to ensure that our people have the appropriate skills for effective and competent adoption of new technologies. Our internal stars skills academy offers a wealth of sessions in both innovation and technology, including:

• Demystifying generative AI, LLMs and prompt engineering
• Everything you need to know about emerging technologies
• Fundamental AI concepts
• Leadership in the age of AI

Find out more about AI at Simmons.