Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Groundwork is committed to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the abolition of modern slavery and human trafficking. As an equal-opportunities employer, Groundwork is committed to creating and ensuring a non-discriminatory and respectful working environment for its staff. Groundwork wants all its staff to feel confident that they can expose wrongdoing without any risk to themselves.
Groundworks recruitment and people management processes are designed to ensure that all prospective employees are legally entitled to work in the UK and to safeguard employees from any abuse or coercion once in our employment.

Groundwork does not enter into business with any organisation, in the United Kingdom or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to be involved in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.
Groundwork is committed to ensuring that its staff and any workers it supplies (directly or indirectly) are not subject to behaviour or threats that may amount to modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, and or similar human rights abuses.

We are also committed to ensuring our approach to tackling modern slavery in our own organisation and throughout our supply chains is consistent with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We all have a responsibly to be alert to the risks, however small, in our business and in the wider supply chain.

This statement sets out Groundwork’s actions to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to the business and to ensure steps are maintained to prevent both slavery and human trafficking.
Groundwork is a charity working locally and nationally to transform lives in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. We’re passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant and green, every community is strong and able to shape its own destiny and no-one is held back by their background or circumstances. We help people gain confidence and skills, get into training and work, protect and improve green spaces, lead more active lives and overcome significant challenges such as poverty, isolation, low skills and poor health.

Groundwork Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside covers the geographical areas of Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and Wigan. The organisation of the trust has been created to allow us to help as many people in our areas benefit from our unique and holistic approach to social and environmental regeneration.

Groundwork’s Modern Slavery Policy, along with our Anti-Bribery and Whistle-blowing policies reflect our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships.
Groundwork’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures acknowledges modern slavery as a form of abuse and, where there is a concern about a child (under 18 years) or an adult (18 or over) who needs care and support, this Policy takes effect.

In order to assess the risk of modern slavery, we use the following processes:

• Identify and assess potential risk areas when considering taking on new suppliers and regularly review our existing supply chains.
• Review the potential for risk at regular intervals, including the possibility of re-auditing a supplier or conducting spot checks.
• As a pre-condition to supplying Groundwork, suppliers must confirm their compliance with the Act. If a supplier fails to provide the information requested or meet our expectations, Groundwork will take appropriate action, which may include not entering into a relationship or terminating the relationship.
• Protect whistleblowers.

After due consideration, we have not identified any significant risks of modern slavery, forced labour, or human trafficking in our supply chain. However, we continue to be alert to the potential for problems.

To maintain awareness and ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our business our Modern Slavery Policy is included in our Employee Handbook.

We provide training to all members of staff and this has been incorporated into our induction programme.