This statement sets out Herd Group Global’s actions to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to its business and to put in place steps that are aimed at ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in its own business and its supply chains. This statement relates to actions and activities during the financial year [1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016].
As part of information technology sector, the organisation recognises that it has a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking.
The organisation is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activities, and to ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.
Organisational structure and supply chains
This statement covers the activities of Herd Group Ltd:
The team at Herd Group Global build high quality websites and software solutions. They are a highly experienced team of developers and engineers that have been developing, managing and hosting websites and software applications since 2003.
The organisation currently operates in the following countries:
- Herd Group Global is based in the UK and supplies services to the UK, Europe and the US
The following is the process by which the company assesses whether or not particular activities or countries are high risk in relation to slavery or human trafficking:
High-risk activities
The following activities are considered to be at high risk of slavery or human trafficking:
– There are no high risk activites
Responsibility
Responsibility for the organisation’s anti-slavery initiatives is as follows [select the relevant areas from the list below]:
Policies: The company director is responsible for this statment and assement associated with the policy.
Relevant policies
The organisation operates the following policies that describe its approach to the identification of modern slavery risks and steps to be taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking in its operations [select the relevant policies from the list below and include links to the full text]:
Whistleblowing policy The organisation encourages all its workers, customers and other business partners to report any concerns related to the direct activities, or the supply chains of, the organisation. This includes any circumstances that may give rise to an enhanced risk of slavery or human trafficking. The organisation’s whistleblowing procedure is designed to make it easy for workers to make disclosures, without fear of retaliation. Employees, customers or others who have concerns can.
Employee code of conduct The organisation’s code makes clear to employees the actions and behaviour expected of them when representing the organisation. The organisation strives to maintain the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behaviour when operating abroad and managing its supply chain.
Supplier/Procurement code of conduct The organisation is committed to ensuring that its suppliers adhere to the highest standards of ethics. Suppliers are required to demonstrate that they provide safe working conditions where necessary, treat workers with dignity and respect, and act ethically and within the law in their use of labour. The organisation works with suppliers to ensure that they meet the standards of the code and improve their worker’s working conditions. However, serious violations of the organisation’s supplier code of conduct will lead to the termination of the business relationship.
Recruitment/Agency workers policy The organisation uses only specified, reputable employment agencies to source labour and always verifies the practices of any new agency it is using before accepting workers from that agency.
Due diligence
The organisation undertakes due diligence when considering taking on new suppliers, and regularly reviews its existing suppliers. The organisation’s due diligence and reviews include:
mapping the supply chain broadly to assess particular product or geographical risks of modern slavery and human trafficking;
evaluating the modern slavery and human trafficking risks of each new supplier;
reviewing on a regular basis all aspects of the supply chain based on the supply chain mapping;
Awareness-raising programme
As well as training staff, the organisation has raised awareness of modern slavery issues by distributing flyers to staff/putting up posters across the organisation’s premises/circulating a series of emails to staff.
The emailse explain to staff:
the basic principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015;
how employers can identify and prevent slavery and human trafficking;
what employees can do to flag up potential slavery or human trafficking issues to the relevant parties within the organisation; and
what external help is available, for example through the Modern Slavery Helpline.
Director approval
This statement has been approved by the organisation’s [board of directors/members], who will review and update it annually.