Responsible Lobbying Policy
Responsible Lobbying Policy & Public Declaration
1. Our position
B Corp GACA 1.1.1
Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd - operating the brands One+All, The Making Of, Gooddies and Greenbergs - does not engage in lobbying directly. We do not employ lobbyists, make political contributions, or seek to influence legislation or government policy on our own behalf.
We are members of The Schoolwear Association, an industry body that, among other activities, represents the schoolwear sector when engaging with government. Because that body engages with government on behalf of its members, we consider ourselves to be indirectly engaged in lobbying through our membership, and this policy sets out how we approach this responsibly.
This document is our public declaration under GACA 1.1.1 and our lobbying policy under GACA 1.1.2, 1.1.3 and 1.1.4. It is approved by the Directors of Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd and published on our company website.
2. Our lobbying activity
Our only current engagement with government affairs is through our membership of The Schoolwear Association, a UK trade body established in 2006 to promote the benefits of school-specific uniform and to establish strong standards in the supply chain.
Organisation | The Schoolwear Association |
Nature of membership | Industry trade body membership |
Who holds membership | Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd on behalf of One+All and Gooddies |
Lobbying activities | Representing the schoolwear sector to government; campaigns on the affordability of school uniform, including the removal of VAT on school-specific uniform items |
Alignment with purpose | Consistent with our commitment to quality, affordable and sustainable schoolwear for all children |
Financial contribution | Annual membership subscription only; no additional political contributions |
We do not hold membership of any other trade association or body that engages with the government on our behalf. If this changes, we will update this policy promptly.
3. Our lobbying policy
B Corp GACA 1.1.2
The following policy statements govern how we approach lobbying, including through intermediary organisations such as The Schoolwear Association.
A. We lobby only to contribute to a positive impact on society or the environment We will only participate in, support or fund lobbying activity that we believe will contribute to a demonstrably positive outcome for people or the planet. Where we engage through The Schoolwear Association, we do so because its advocacy - for affordable, quality, sustainable schoolwear for all children - is directly aligned with our purpose: to grow for the greater good. We will not support lobbying activity that conflicts with our B Corp values or our public commitments on social and environmental impact. |
B. Our lobbying approach is based on reliable evidence We expect any lobbying activity carried out on our behalf, including by The Schoolwear Association, to be grounded in reliable data. The Schoolwear Association publishes annual surveys of actual retail prices, research into the social benefits of school uniform, and independent briefings on legislative proposals. We review this evidence before lending our support to specific campaigns or positions. |
C. Financial and in-kind political contributions We do not make financial or in-kind contributions to political parties, candidates, elected officials or political action committees. Our only financial engagement in lobbying is our annual membership subscription to The Schoolwear Association, which funds the general operations of the association including its government engagement activities. We do not make additional payments to fund specific lobbying campaigns. |
D. Anti-corruption and bribery We operate a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and bribery in all forms. This applies equally to our own conduct and to any activity carried out on our behalf by third parties. We will not offer, give, request or accept any benefit - financial or otherwise - intended to improperly influence a decision by a public official, government body or regulator. Our approach to anti-corruption and bribery is set out in full in our Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy. We require all employees to complete e-learning training on anti-bribery and anti-corruption when they join us and every year thereafter. |
E. Responsible lobbying through intermediary organisations Before joining or remaining a member of any trade association or industry body that engages with government, the Directors of Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd will satisfy themselves that the body's lobbying activities are consistent with this policy. Where a specific campaign or position is taken by an intermediary organisation, we will consider whether we actively support that position or whether we hold a neutral or dissenting view. We will not remain members of an organisation whose lobbying activity we believe to be inconsistent with a positive impact on society or the environment. |
F. Governance review of this policy This policy is reviewed and approved by the Directors of Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd on an annual basis, as part of our B Corp governance review cycle. Any material change to our lobbying activity - including joining or leaving a relevant trade association, or a change in the lobbying activity of an existing member body - will trigger an out-of-cycle review. |
4. Governance, control and risk management
B Corp GACA 1.1.3
a) Accountability
The Directors of Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd are accountable for ensuring that this policy is observed and enforced. Day-to-day responsibility for monitoring our intermediary memberships and keeping this policy up to date rests with the Director responsible for governance and compliance, who reports to the Board of Directors.
b) How this policy is embedded
This policy is shared with all colleagues at induction and is available via our internal shared drive. Any colleague or third party who is asked to represent Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd or any of its brands in a government affairs context - including attending events, contributing to consultation responses or joining working groups - must familiarise themselves with this policy before doing so.
When we renew our membership of The Schoolwear Association, the Director responsible for governance reviews the association's recent lobbying activity and confirms that it remains consistent with this policy. This review is documented and presented to the Board of Directors as part of the annual governance review.
c) Identifying, managing and monitoring risks of non-compliance
The principal risk of non-compliance arises from the activities of intermediary organisations acting in ways that conflict with our values without our prior knowledge. We manage this risk in the following ways:
We monitor The Schoolwear Association's public communications, news and campaigns on an ongoing basis.
We review its annual reports and any published policy positions or consultation responses.
We attend member meetings where possible and request to be notified of significant new lobbying activity before it is taken forward.
If a position is taken that we consider inconsistent with this policy, we will formally communicate our disagreement to the association and, if necessary, suspend or terminate our membership.
d) Evaluating compliance with the governance and control framework
Compliance with this policy is evaluated annually by the Directors as part of our B Corp governance review. The review considers: whether our intermediary memberships remain appropriate and aligned with this policy; whether any lobbying activity has taken place outside the scope of existing memberships; and whether this policy requires updating to reflect changes in our business or external environment. The outcome of the review is documented in the Annual Governance Review record.
e) Raising concerns
Concerns specifically related to the content of this policy, or to a lobbying activity carried out on our behalf, may also be raised directly with the Directors by emailing our main business address.
Any colleague, worker, supplier or other stakeholder who has a concern about our business conduct or lobbying practices is encouraged to raise it through our grievance procedure. Our grievance procedure is publicly available and covers concerns raised by workers across our supply chain as well as by colleagues employed directly by Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd.
5. Approval and publication
B Corp GACA 1.1.4
This policy has been approved by the Directors of Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd, who are the highest governing body of the company. It is published on our company website and is accessible to all stakeholders without restriction.
6. Document control
Policy title | Responsible Lobbying Policy and Public Declaration |
Approved by | Directors, Rowlinson Knitwear Ltd |
Date approved | May 2026 |
Review date | May 2027 |
Applies to | One+All, The Making Of, Gooddies, Greenbergs |