Sports Direct to review working practices and management
Sports Direct will undertake an independent review of its working practices following concerns from shareholders.
The retailer announced the move just two weeks after it scrapped controversial zero-hours contracts and reveaked all staff would be paid above the National Minimum Wage.
In July, MPs accused owner Mike Ashley of overseeing conditions at Sports Direct akin to a "Victorian workhouse".
Following concerns raised at its AGM, the company has launched a "360 degree" review into working practices and corporate governance, to be carried out by an "independent party".
The review was initially to be led by Sports Direct's law firm RPC.
But following discussions with shareholders, Sports Direct backtracked and said the review would be "led by an independent party other than RPC".
On Tuesday, Sports Direct said: "The board has made this decision after listening to shareholder feedback at the recent AGM/Open Day and during subsequent consultation with a number of the company's long-standing shareholders via the Investor Forum".
At Sports Direct's AGM, 53% of independent shareholders opposed the re-election of company chairman Keith Hellawell - but was backed by Ashley.
The latest review will look at addressing lingering concerns over the company's working conditions.
On Tuesday, Ashley told BBC Breakfast he had "absolutely not" been aware of poor practices at Sports Direct.
"My instant reaction was 'that won't be happening at Sports Direct'", he said.
The entrepreneur admitted criticism of the company had been damaging and said there were issues which "needed to be fixed".
He added: "Hopefully in the 90 days we have fixed a lot of those things".
But Ashley ruled out resigning from his post if he failed to turn working practices around within a year.