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Modern Slavery Statement

Modern Slavery Statement 2025/26

  1. Introduction

This statement is made pursuant to Section 54(1), Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited (“QS”) has taken during the financial year ending 2025 to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in our operations and supply chains.

Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. QS has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery, and we are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains.

  1. Our Organisation

QS is a leading provider of recruitment and enrolment services, analytics, and insight to the global higher education sector, whose mission is to enable motivated people anywhere in the world to fulfil their potential through educational achievement, international mobility, and career development.

QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited is the parent company of the following subsidiaries:QS StudentApply Ltd, StudentApply Limited, SA Education Partners Ltd, QS Unisolution Limited, QS Unisolution GmbH, QS Quacquarelli Symonds (Canada) Ltd, QS Quacquarelli Symonds (Australia) Pty Limited, HolonIQ Global Pty Ltd, HolonIQ Pty Ltd, HolonIQ Technologies Pty Ltd, HolonIQ USA Inc, QS Enrolment Solutions Limited, QS (Shenzhen) Education Technology Company Ltd, QS (Chengdu) Teli Education Consulting Co Ltd, QS (Shenzhen) Teli Education Consulting Co Ltd, QS Quacquarelli Symonds Sdn. Bhd, QS Eastern Europe SRL, QS France SARL, QS (Shanghai) Education Technology Co Ltd, QS Quacquarelli Symonds (USA) Ltd, QS Quacquarelli Symonds (Nigeria) Ltd, QS Quacquarelli Symonds (Kenya) Ltd, QS Asia Quacquarelli Symonds Pte. Ltd, QS Quacquarelli Symonds India Pvt Ltd. It also has a joint venture with the ERA foundation called QS-ERA India Private Limited.

  1. Our business is organised into different business and functional areas:

Our customer facing business areas, structured into Sector Intelligence, Candidate Engagement and University Services, provide the following services:

  • Analytics - Comparative data & benchmarks for HE performance, reputation, international students, student recruitment, skills & employability, delivered via our Holon IQ by QS Platform
  • Advisory - Consulting & evaluation to develop strategies that improve the quality and reputation of higher education for institutions and governments globally
  • Networks - Connecting students, universities, governments and other stakeholders digitally or in person, via conferences & summit for universities and student recruitment events across the globe
  • Services - Data-led services delivering business critical outcomes for our clients, including identifying and supporting potential students on behalf of higher education clients, and our software suite that provide solutions including partnership management, student mobility and career exploration for universities

We have a number of shared functions supporting the delivery of our services:

  • Technology – is responsible for the IT backbone which supports business delivery and for product development.
  • Finance and Governance – encompasses financial planning and accounting, processing, procurement, payroll, and legal & compliance.
  • People – includes HR admin & transactional, recruitment, HR business partnering, and talent & learning
  • Workplace – facilities and building management
  • Commercial – Sales and marketing
  • Data & analytics – is responsible for managing, processing and analysing QS data
  • Strategy, Transformation & Management – group strategy and leadership

  1. Our supply chains

Our supply chain is predominantly service-based and includes:

  • Technology and service providers
  • Travel and event delivery providers
  • Venue and facilities management suppliers
  • Professional services and contractors  
  • IT hardware and office services  

  1. Our Policies and Governance

To uphold our commitment against modern slavery and human trafficking, we have implemented a range of policies and procedures designed to protect our business and supply chain:

  • Modern Slavery Policy – Reinforcing our zero-tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking across all operations and supply chains.
  • Anti- Bribery and Corruption Policy – ensuing all business is conducted fairly and transparently.
  • Supplier Code of Conduct – Setting clear expectations for our partners and suppliers.
  • Whistleblowing Policy – Encouraging the reporting of any concerns without fear of reprisal.  
  • Conflict of Interest Policy – Ensuring all business decisions are made in the best interest of the company, free from personal gain or external influence.  
  • Guide to Charity Collection – Governing how we collect and manage charitable contributions to ensure transparency, accountability and alignment with our ethical values.
  • Fraud Prevention Policy – Safeguarding our resources and those of our partners.  

We strictly adhere to all applicable laws and regulations, and we require our suppliers and contractors to meet the same high standards.  

  1. Due Diligence Processes

To identify and mitigate risk, QS has implemented:

  • Modern slavery clauses in supplier contracts
  • Supplier onboarding declarations confirming compliance  
  • Ongoing supplier engagement and review
  • Internal procurement controls and approval workflows
  • Training for relevant team members so they know what to look out for and how to share any concerns

We do not knowingly engage with organisations involved in modern slavery and will take appropriate action if concerns are identified.  

  1. Risk Assessment and Management

Our risk profile reflects:

  • A largely professional and service-based supply chain  
  • Global operations across multiple jurisdictions
  • Use of travel, events, and facilities providers

We focus enhanced due diligence on:

  • Labour-intensive services
  • New suppliers in higher-risk regions  
  • Outsourced operational support

  1. Our people

Our staff are expected to work in line with our core values and principles. We have a variety of supporting documentations and training programmes to guide employees on how to work in an honest and ethical manner.

Maintaining staff and management awareness of modern slavery risks is necessary to ensure that we are alert to the possibility of slavery or human trafficking when looking across our business and supply chains. QS facilitates and encourages knowledge sharing with its staff on such issues and provides targeted training programmes for employees whose job function involves making buying decisions.

  1. Our future actions

During 2026/27 we will:

  • Finalise and implement a Sustainable Procurement Policy
  • Introduce a risk-based supplier screening framework
  • Develop clearer escalation procedures for supplier concerns  
  • Continue our training and awareness of the Act within the organisation

  1. Review and approval

This statement is reviewed annually. It has been approved by the QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd Board.

Signed for and on behalf of QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd by

‍

Nunzio Quacquarelli

Group President

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