MODERN SLAVERY STATEMENT

B) ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Organisation operates from a Head Office in Stokesley, North Yorkshire and has several branches in England, mainly in the north of the country, but has satellite branches further afield, specifically in Newmarket and just outside Worcester. The Organisation is controlled by a Board of Directors, based at Stokesley, North Yorkshire.
The Organisation’s main trading activities are the wholesaling and retailing of animal and pet supplies, including feed, agricultural trading and supply and the supply of fuel for domestic and agricultural purposes.
The labour supplied to the Organisation in pursuance of its operation is carried out wholly within the United Kingdom.

C) DEFINITIONS

The Organisation considers that modern slavery encompasses:

• Human trafficking;
• Forced work, through mental or physical threat;
• Being owned or controlled by an employer through mental or physical abuse of the threat of abuse;
• Being dehumanised, treated as a commodity or being bought or sold as property;
• Being physically constrained or to have restriction placed on freedom of movement.

D) COMMITMENT

The Organisation acknowledges its responsibilities in relation to tackling modern slavery and commits to complying with the provisions in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Organisation understands that this requires an ongoing review of both its internal practices in relation to its labour force and, additionally, its supply chains.
The Organisation does not enter into business with any other organisation, in the United Kingdom or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to involve itself in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.
No labour provided to the Organisation in the pursuance of the provision of its own services is obtained by means of slavery or human trafficking. The Organisation strictly adheres to the minimum standards required in relation to its responsibilities under relevant employment legislation within the United Kingdom.

E) SUPPLY CHAINS

In order to fulfil its activities, the Organisation’s main supply chains include those related to the United Kingdom and to a small degree the European Union.

F) POTENTIAL EXPOSURE

The Organisation considers that it is at minimal exposure to the risk of slavery and human trafficking as its main supply chain is currently restricted to the United Kingdom and, to a lesser degree, the European Union.
In general, the Organisation considers its exposure to slavery/human trafficking to be relatively limited. Nevertheless it has taken steps to ensure that such practices do not take place in its business nor the business of any organisation that supplies goods and/or services to it.

G) STEPS

The Organisation carries out due diligence processes in relation to ensuring slavery and/or human trafficking does not take place in its organisation or supply chains, including conducting a review of the controls of its main suppliers and reviewing their Modern Slavery Statements.
The Organisation has not, to its knowledge, conducted any business with another organisation which has been found to have involved itself with modern slavery.
In accordance with section 54(4) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, due to the Organisation dealing with suppliers based in the United Kingdom and the European Union, it has not taken any further steps to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place.

H) KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Organisation has set the following key performance indicators to measure its effectiveness in ensuring modern slavery is not taking place in the Organisation or its supply chains.

• If a new supplier is due to engaged, that is controlled outside of the United Kingdom or the European Union, the Board is to be advised prior to any contract of supply being entered into to allow the Board to carry out due diligence upon the potential supplier.

I) POLICIES

The Organisation has the following policies which further define its stance on modern slavery

• No contracts are to be entered into with a supplier based or controlled outside of the United Kingdom or the European Union without the express written, signed, permission of the Board, permission for which will be recorded within the minutes of the Board meeting where approval was sanctioned.
• The permission received from the Board is to be scanned and saved in the Supplier’s account within the Organisation’s electronic CRM system.

J) TRAINING

The Organisation has advised all of its Purchasing Staff of its policy surrounding the engagement of new suppliers based or controlled outside of the United Kingdom or the European Union.

K) SLAVERY COMPLIANCE OFFICER

The Organisation does not have a designated Slavery Compliance Officer, however all staff have been informed that should they have any concerns regarding modern slavery these should be immediately addressed to the Board who take joint and several responsibility to undertake relevant action with regard to the Organisation’s obligations in this regard.
This statement is made in pursuance of Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and will be reviewed for each financial year.