Gardening Waterloo Modern Slavery Statement

This Modern Slavery Statement sets out Gardening Waterloo's commitment to eradicating forced labour, child labour and human trafficking from our operations and supply chains. We publish this anti-slavery statement to be transparent about our policies, our expectations of suppliers and the actions we take to manage risk. Our approach to the modern slavery policy aligns with best practice and reflects our continuous commitment to ethical sourcing and humane working conditions.

Scope and Purpose

This statement applies to all employees, contractors and partners of Gardening Waterloo and covers our direct operations and supply chain relationships. The purpose of this slavery and human trafficking statement is to clarify responsibilities, describe due diligence processes and communicate our zero tolerance approach to exploitation.

Zero-Tolerance Policy

Gardening Waterloo maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any form of modern slavery. We make it clear that any instance of forced labour, debt bondage or coercion is unacceptable. Any breach identified in our supply chain or within our organisation will prompt immediate investigation and decisive action, including contract termination where appropriate. We expect all suppliers and contractors to adhere to the same high standards and to be able to demonstrate compliance on request.

Governance and Responsibility

Responsibility for implementing this modern slavery and human trafficking statement rests with senior management and the dedicated compliance lead. Governance includes regular board oversight and integration of anti-slavery obligations into procurement, HR and risk management processes. All managers are required to promote a culture of vigilance and to ensure that staff understand their role in preventing exploitation.

Supplier Audits and Due Diligence

We operate a risk-based supplier audit programme and due diligence framework. Audits and assessments are tailored by risk, geography and product type. Our supplier audit process includes:

• document review of employment records and contracts;
• on-site inspections and worker interviews where feasible;
• verification of recruitment and subcontracting practices;
• assessment of wage, hours and working condition compliance;
• corrective action plans and follow-up audits to ensure remediation.

We require suppliers to sign our code of conduct and to provide evidence of compliance. Persistent non-compliance results in escalation, remediation requirements and possible contract termination.

Reporting Channels and Whistleblowing

Gardening Waterloo provides multiple reporting channels to enable workers, suppliers and third parties to raise concerns. Reports can be made confidentially through internal escalation routes or via anonymous third-party mechanisms. We treat all reports seriously, protect whistleblowers from retaliation and maintain clear processes for investigation and remediation. Employees receive training on how to recognise signs of modern slavery and how to use reporting channels.

Our compliance team documents and monitors all allegations and outcomes. Where abuse is discovered we work quickly to ensure victims' safety, to provide appropriate support and to take corrective action with involved parties. We also work with relevant authorities as necessary. Transparency is central to how we handle concerns and we commit to acting proportionately and fairly.

Annual Review and Continuous Improvement Gardening Waterloo conducts an annual review of this anti-slavery statement and related policies to assess effectiveness and to identify improvements. Reviews consider audit findings, incident reports, changes in supply chain risk, and evolving legal and sector expectations. We publish an updated slavery and human trafficking statement as required and strengthen supplier engagement, training and monitoring accordingly. In summary, our anti-slavery stance is permanent, proactive and embedded across the organisation: we will continue to enhance our modern slavery controls and work collaboratively to eliminate exploitation from our industry.