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Modern Slavery: Where We Stand & What We Expect

What is modern slavery?

You don’t have to be in literal chains to be a slave. Modern slavery deprives people of their liberty and exploits them for money. Human trafficking, compulsory labour, servitude: it’s all modern slavery and it’s a crime. Needless to say (but we’ll say it anyway) we stand against it. We have a zero-tolerance approach to it. And we’re working to ensure the same is true of everyone in our supply chain.

About this policy

We get a bit nervous around legal documents, so this page is a summary in our own non-legalese words to give you a general overview of where we’re at and what we expect. If you’re working with or for us, however, you’ll need to read and abide by the full policy. You can find that here. Thanks.

Who does this policy apply to?

If you work for us or with us, it applies to you. Directors, employees, contractors, suppliers – whether you’re on our payroll or someone that just helps us out occasionally, even if it’s voluntarily, it applies to everyone connected with Zachary Daniels.

What is the policy?

To make sure modern slavery doesn’t take place in our business, our suppliers’ and partners’ businesses, or in their supply chains. We won’t work with people and organisations that use any forced, compulsory or trafficked labour. That applies equally to adults and children. We expect our contractors and suppliers to hold their contractors and suppliers to the same standards.

How can we spot modern slavery?

Modern slavery training forms part of induction for all new Zachary Daniels people. When we start working with any new external person or business, we ensure they understand and are on board with our policy too.

Identifying modern slavery

If you suspect modern slavery in any part of our business or supply chain, you should raise it with your manager (if you work for ZD) or raise it with a ZD director (if you work with ZD). If you’re not sure whether your suspicions qualify as modern slavery, you should still report it. No one will be penalised for an honest mistake. Our managers understand our confidential reporting procedures and can take the matter further.

Breaching the policy

If an employee of Zachary Daniels breaches our modern slavery policy, they may face dismissal. If a partner or supplier breaches the policy, we may terminate our relationship.

That’s the summary. If you’re planning to work with or for us, a reminder that you’ll need to abide by the full policy.

The policy in full

1. MODERN SLAVERY POLICY

1.1 Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain. We have 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.
1.2 We are also committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains, consistent with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We expect the same high standards from all of our contractors, suppliers and other business partners, and as part of our contracting processes, we include specific prohibitions against the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour, or anyone held in slavery or servitude, whether adults or children, and we expect that our suppliers will hold their own suppliers to the same high standards.
1.3 This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, interns, agents, contractors, external consultants, third-party representatives and business partners.
1.4 This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment and we may amend it at any time.

2.RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE POLICY

2.1 The board of directors has overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that all those under our control comply with it.
2.2 The Company Directors primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, monitoring its use and effectiveness, dealing with any queries about it, and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering modern slavery.
2.3 Management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with this policy and are given adequate and regular training on it and the issue of modern slavery in supply chains.
2.4 You are invited to comment on this policy and suggest ways in which it might be improved. Comments, suggestions and queries are encouraged and should be addressed to the Company Directors.

3. COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY

3.1 You must ensure that you read, understand and comply with this policy.
3.2 The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of our business or supply chains is the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. You are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy.
3.3 You must notify the Company Directors as soon as possible if you believe or suspect that a conflict with this policy has occurred, or may occur in the future.
3.4 You are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or supply chains of any supplier tier at the earliest possible stage.
3.5 If you believe or suspect a breach of this policy has occurred or that it may occur you must notify your manager to report it in accordance with our Confidential Reporting Procedure as soon as possible. You should note that where appropriate, and with the welfare and safety of local workers as a priority, we may give support and guidance to our suppliers to help them address coercive or exploitative work practices in their own business and supply chains.
3.6 If you are unsure about whether a particular act, the treatment of workers more generally, or their working conditions within any tier of our supply chains constitutes any of the various forms of modern slavery, raise it with your manager.
3.7 We aim to encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. We are committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of reporting in good faith their suspicion that modern slavery of whatever form is or may be taking place in any part of our own business or in any of our supply chains. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action, threats or other unfavourable treatment connected with raising a concern. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you should inform the compliance manager immediately. If the matter is not remedied, and you are an employee, you should raise it formally using our Grievance Procedure, which can be found at paragraph 16.

4. COMMUNICATION AND AWARENESS OF THIS POLICY

4.1 Training on this policy, and on the risk our business faces from modern slavery in its supply chains, forms part of the induction process for all individuals who work for us, and regular training will be provided as necessary.
4.2 Our zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery in our business and supply chains must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.

5. BREACHES OF THIS POLICY

5.1 Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct. We may terminate our relationship with other individuals and organisations working on our behalf if they breach this policy.