ORGANISATION

This statement applies to Woldmarsh Producers Ltd (referred to in this statement as “the Organisation”). The information included in the statement refers to the financial year 2023.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

Woldmarsh Producers has one office based at Agriculture House, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0WA from which employees are based.  The Organisation has a Board of Directors, Senior Management, Sector Heads, and employees. Woldmarsh Producers Ltd procures agricultural goods and services for our farming Members who are located, within Eastern England.   Agriculture has a reliable annual calendar of activities and is subject to seasonal demands from Members. Our organisation does not operate outside of the UK and all staff operate from our office premises in Louth, Lincolnshire or from their homes.

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 or 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 personal freedom of movement.

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, 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 produced to the Organisation in the pursuance of the provisions 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 in the United Kingdom.

 

SUPPLY CHAINS

In order to fulfil its activities, the Organisation’s main supply chain includes those related to agricultural goods and services from suppliers based in the United Kingdom. We understand that the Organisations’ first-tier suppliers are intermediary traders and therefore have further contractual relationships with lower tier suppliers through the world.

POTENTIAL EXPOSURE

The Organisation considers its main exposure to the risk of slavery and human trafficking to exist further down within the supply chain because this may involve the provision of labour in a country where protection against breaches of human rights may be limited.

In general, the Organisation consider its exposure to slavery/human trafficking to be extremely limited. Nonetheless, it has taken steps to ensure that such practices do not take place in its business nor the business of any organisation that suppliers’ goods or services to it.

STEPS

The Organisation carries out due diligence processes as practicable with first tier suppliers to ensure slavery/human trafficking does not take place within its organisation.

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, the Organisation has taken the following steps to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place.

  • Staff have an up-to-date Staff Handbook which includes a Whistle Blowing Policy
  • Staff have a copy of the Anti-Slavery Policy
  • There are staff trained in Ethical Procurement Practices

POLICIES

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

  • All new staff must provide documented evidence such as a passport or photo-driving licence as part of our checks for Right to Work in the UK.
  • Staff Handbook contains Whistle Blowing Policy
  • Staff receive Anti-Slavery Policy

 

TRAINING

The Organisation encourages the following training to CIPS qualified staff to effectively implement its stance on modern slavery:

  • CIPS Ethical Procurement & Supply online training

SLAVERY COMPLIANCE OFFICER

The Organisation has a Slavery Compliance Officer (Heather Claridge), to whom all concerns regarding modern slavery should be addressed, and who will then undertake relevant action with regard to Woldmarsh’ s obligations in this regard.

This statement is made in pursuance of Section54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and will be reviewed for each financial year.

 

Date of approval:       23rd January 2024

Approved by:             Heather Claridge – Chief Executive Officer & The Board of Directors

 

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