Gardening Southwark Modern Slavery Statement
This Modern Slavery Statement sets out Gardening Southwark's commitment to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in our operations and supply chains. We publish this anti-slavery statement to be transparent about the steps we take. Our zero-tolerance policy to forced labour, servitude, and exploitation applies to all staff, contractors and partners associated with Gardening Southwark.
We recognise that a modern slavery policy is essential for a community-focused organisation. Gardening Southwark seeks to ensure that no person is subject to slavery, servitude or forced work while engaged with our work in landscaping, grounds maintenance and gardening services across the borough.
Our slavery and human trafficking statement explains clear responsibilities, training and oversight. We require all staff and volunteers to follow our Code of Conduct and understand the signs of exploitation, with escalation routes if concerns arise. We maintain records and ensure compliance with relevant labour standards.
Supplier Standards and Audits
We promote an ethical supply chain by requiring suppliers to meet our minimum standards. Gardening Southwark conducts regular supplier due diligence and supplier audits for higher-risk vendors. Audits include verifiable documentation of employment terms, age checks, and safe working conditions. Where audits identify risks, we require corrective action plans and follow-up reviews.
Suppliers must sign our Supplier Code of Practice which sets out expectations for fair pay, working hours, and freedom of movement. We use a risk-based approach: prioritising audits for those supplying manual labour, seasonal workforce support, and subcontractors. Where suppliers fail to meet standards and do not remediate, we will terminate contracts.
Our procurement procedures include:
- Contract clauses prohibiting forced labour and human trafficking
- Regular on-site and remote supplier assessments
- Mandatory remediation plans for non-compliant suppliers
Reporting Channels and Whistleblowing
We operate multiple reporting channels to ensure concerns about suspected modern slavery can be raised safely and confidentially. Staff and third parties are encouraged to report any suspected abuse through internal reporting lines or via our designated safeguarding leads. We treat all disclosures seriously and investigate without delay.
Reports can be made anonymously where needed; we protect whistleblowers from retaliation. Our investigations follow fair, documented procedures and may result in disciplinary action, criminal referral, or contract termination. We also cooperate with statutory authorities when criminal activity is suspected.
For employees, training programmes include how to spot indicators of exploitation, how to support potential victims with empathy, and how to use reporting routes. We provide targeted training for procurement staff and managers who oversee contractors.
Our zero-tolerance policy is more than words: it drives procurement decisions, contract management and staff conduct. Gardening Southwark will not tolerate exploitation and will act swiftly where breaches are identified. We make expectations clear at the outset of supplier relationships and enforce them consistently.
We continue to strengthen our processes by engaging stakeholders, learning from investigations, and updating our supplier audits. The anti-slavery measures include increased documentation requirements for worker identity, hours and pay, and enhanced vetting of recruitment agencies used by suppliers.
Each year we undertake an annual review of our modern slavery and forced labour policies. The Board and senior management assess performance against key indicators such as number of audits completed, incidents reported, remediation outcomes, and training completion rates. Findings from the review inform improvements to policy, training content and contractual terms.
Gardening Southwark commits to continual improvement. We will publish outcomes of our annual review within our governance reports and update our modern slavery policy as risks evolve. We believe transparency, strong supplier partnerships, and accessible reporting channels are essential to combat modern slavery effectively.
Through rigorous supplier audits, clear contractual obligations, accessible reporting, and a firm zero-tolerance approach, Gardening Southwark seeks to eliminate the risk of modern slavery from our operations and the communities we serve. Our collective vigilance and ongoing annual review process ensure that our anti-slavery statement is a living document, actively protecting workers and promoting ethical practice.
End of Statement — Gardening Southwark