Modern Slavery Act 2015: Section 54 Statement
This statement is made pursuant to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that TEF Social Care Services Ltd. has taken during the financial year to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in our business or supply chains.
1. Organisation Structure and Business Overview
TEF Social Care Services Ltd. is a leading provider of residential care services, health and social care solutions operating in London/England. We provide services to elderly individuals, people with disabilities, vulnerable groups], and we are committed to operating ethically and transparently across all aspects of our business.
We recognise our responsibility to combat modern slavery and human trafficking in all forms. We operate within the health and social care sector, which can be exposed to certain risks of modern slavery, particularly within supply chains involving third-party providers of goods and services.
2. Policies in Relation to Modern Slavery
We have a range of policies that reflect our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our business or supply chains. These include:
– Modern Slavery Policy: Outlines our zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking.
– Whistleblowing Policy: Encourages employees and third parties to report any concerns regarding unethical practices, including human rights violations.
– Code of Conduct: Ensures all employees are aware of the expected ethical standards, including respect for human rights.
– Supplier Code of Conduct: Sets out the minimum standards we expect from our suppliers, including compliance with the Modern Slavery Act.
3. Due Diligence in Supply Chains
To mitigate the risk of modern slavery in our operations and supply chains, we conduct due diligence on all potential suppliers and partners. This process includes:
– Supplier Risk Assessment: We assess suppliers based on their geographical location, industry, and past performance to determine their risk of involvement in modern slavery.
– Supplier Audits: We regularly audit our high-risk suppliers to ensure compliance with our policies and the Modern Slavery Act.
– Supplier Contracts: All suppliers are required to agree to our Supplier Code of Conduct and provide evidence that they comply with modern slavery laws.
– Ongoing Monitoring: We continuously monitor our suppliers through periodic reviews, audits, and direct communication to ensure they maintain compliance with our ethical standards.
4. Risk Assessment and Management
We have identified that the main areas of risk related to modern slavery in our business are in our supply chains, particularly with suppliers providing cleaning, maintenance, raw materials. To manage and mitigate these risks, we have implemented the following:
– Regular Risk Assessments: We conduct regular assessments to identify areas in our business and supply chains that may be vulnerable to modern slavery.
– Enhanced Due Diligence: For high-risk suppliers, we implement enhanced due diligence procedures, including detailed reviews of their operations and their compliance with our Supplier Code of Conduct.
– Internal Audits: Our internal audit team conducts routine audits to ensure that our own operations are free from modern slavery.
5. Training and Awareness
We recognise the importance of ensuring our employees and suppliers are aware of the risks of modern slavery and how to identify and address these risks. Therefore, we provide:
– Mandatory Training: All employees, especially those involved in procurement, supply chain management, and HR, are required to complete training on identifying and preventing modern slavery.
– Supplier Training: We work with our suppliers to raise awareness about modern slavery and the steps they must take to prevent it.
– Ongoing Awareness Campaigns: We run internal campaigns to ensure that our teams remain vigilant and informed about modern slavery risks.
6. Effectiveness and Performance Indicators
To assess the effectiveness of the steps we are taking to prevent modern slavery, we use the following performance indicators:
– Number of Supplier Audits Completed: We measure the percentage of suppliers audited annually for modern slavery compliance.
– Employee Training Completion Rates: We track the completion rates of our modern slavery training programs for employees and suppliers.
– Reported Incidents: We monitor any reported incidents of modern slavery or human trafficking within our operations or supply chains and ensure immediate action is taken.
7. Looking Ahead
We are committed to continuously improving our approach to combat modern slavery. Over the next year, we plan to:
– Strengthen Supplier Audits: Increase the number of audits conducted, particularly in high-risk areas.
– Enhance Employee Training: Develop additional training modules focused on identifying and addressing risks in specific areas of our supply chains.
– Collaborate with Industry Partners: Work more closely with other organisations in our sector to share best practices and strengthen efforts to eliminate modern slavery.
Board Approval
This statement has been approved by the board of directors of TEF Social Care Services Ltd.and is signed on their behalf by:
Name: Ernest Nkrumah
Position: CEO
Date: October 2024
TEF Social Care Services Ltd.
This statement serves as our commitment to addressing the issue of modern slavery and outlines the steps we are taking to ensure it is eradicated from our business and supply chains.