Slavery & Human Trafficking Policy

Introduction

Slavery and human trafficking is an ongoing issue within the United Kingdom and Globally. We all have a responsibly to be alert to the risks, however small, in our business and in our supply chain. Staff are expected to report concerns and management are expected to act upon them.

Business Structure

We are a in the business of hiring plant and other equipment to the construction and utilities industries. Additionally, we hire plant and equipment to the general public.

Our business operates from three locations. These are Tewkesbury, Worcester and Chipping Norton. All of the locations operate in the same manner with an administration function, hire shop and some maintenance activity. The head office is located at the Tewkesbury site.

Supply Chain

Our purchases from our suppliers include items of large and small plant and other equipment. We also purchase items that can be described as consumables, these include small tools, sanding and cutting discs, drill bits etc. In addition, we purchase items or personal protective equipment and work clothing for resale.

Our Policy on Slavery and Human Trafficking

We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. Our Anti-slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains.

Due Diligence Processes for Slavery and Human Trafficking

As part of our initiative to identify and mitigate risk –

All of our locations have a dedicated manager this is to ensure optimum control of the work environment;
We have a limited number of locations this ensures that we can monitor the users of our premises with a view of monitoring any customer who may be involved in such activities.
We obtain documentation from potential new employees (passports, birth certificates, immigration status documents including right to reside and work) prior to the person being employed.
We build long standing relationships with local suppliers and customers and make clear our expectations of business behaviour.
With regards to national or international supply chains, our point contact is preferably with a UK company or branch and we expect these entities to have suitable anti-slavery and human trafficking policies and processes. We expect each entity in the supply chain to, at least, adopt ‘one-up’ due diligence on the next link in the chain. It is not practical for us (and every other participant in the chain) to have a direct relationship with all links in the supply chain.
We have in place systems to encourage the reporting of concerns and the protection of whistle blowers.

Supplier Adherence to our Values

We have zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. We expect all those in our supply chain and contractors comply with our values.

The directors and managers are responsible for compliance in their respective site and for their supplier and contractor relationships.

Training

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we provide training to relevant members of staff. All Directors have been briefed on the subject.

Monitoring our Effectiveness in Combating Slavery and Human Trafficking

We use the following indicators to measure how effective we have been to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains

We maintain personal records of all of employees.
Where possible we request or obtain and hold copies of our suppliers and major customer’s slavery policies.

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our group’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the current financial year.

J Clutterbuck

James Clutterbuck

Managing Director

WHC Hire Services Ltd 30 September 2020