Sir Brian Leveson and KPMG to oversee Boohoo’s ‘agenda for change’

KPMG will also assist with the programme, working with Boohoo’s sourcing and compliance team as well as its current auditors Bureau Veritas and Verisio, to add extra independent resources and expertise.

Leveson will report directly to Boohoo’s board of directors, publishing his reports throughout the process as the fashion giant seeks to be completely transparent.

He has also appointed legal and independent enquiry and enforcement specialists to supplement the agenda and ensure all those associated with the supply chain are held to the same ethical and legal standards.

Leveson is most famous for conducting the inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press following the phone-hacking scandal in 2011 and 2012.

Following the allegations made against the group in July, Boohoo commissioned an independent review into its Leicester supply chain by Alison Levitt QC.

The “agenda for change” represents the suggestions made by Levitt in the report to fix Boohoo’s supply chain issues and ensure compliance, which Boohoo has fully committed to carrying out.

The appointment of Sir Brian Leveson PC comes soon after Boohoo named Shaun McCabe as audit committee chair and former Primark exec Andrew Reaney as responsible sourcing director - indicating that the fashion giant is beginning to make more strides through the agenda.

Boohoo founder and executive chair Mahmud Kamani said: “I am encouraged by the progress that has been made to date by our teams since setting out our “agenda for change” programme in September. 

“Myself and the board are fully committed to this programme, with the appointments of Sir Brian Leveson and KPMG bringing independent oversight, additional expertise and further transparency to a programme that will help us on our journey to lead the fashion e-commerce market globally in a transparent manner.”

Sir Brian Leveson added: “Boohoo has recognised that it must institute and embed change so that everyone involved in the group’s supply chain is treated fully in accordance with the law and the principles of ethical trading.  

“I look forward to providing independent oversight of the “agenda for change” programme and to working with the Boohoo team, KPMG and the other independent experts to achieve this, while, at the same time, providing publicly available progress reports.”