Modern Slavery Policy
AF Group (AF Switchgear Ltd, Preedcrete Ltd, VAR Services) recognises that Modern Slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. We are aware that Modern Slavery takes various forms, including slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.
Modern Slavery is the term used within the UK and is defined within the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The Act categorises offences of Slavery, Servitude and Forced or Compulsory Labour and Human Trafficking (the latter of which comes from Palermo Protocol).
AF Group continues to adopt a zero tolerance to modern slavery, human trafficking, all forms of servitude and forced and compulsory labour. We fully support the government’s objectives to eradicate all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking.
We continue to set high standards of impartiality, integrity, transparency and objectivity. We will ensure that our activities and those of our suppliers and contractors operate to the highest level of ethical standards operating under sound governance arrangements.
Our annual statement attached to this Policy provides details of our activities, our supply chains and actions we are continuing to take.
We require all organisations we engage with to ensure their goods, materials and labour-related supply chains are unambiguous:
• Fully comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015; and are
• Clear, transparent, accountable and auditable; and are
• Free from ethical ambiguities.
We call upon all organisations we engage with to influence their global supply chains by improving transparency, accountability, and training so that together we can help the government eradicate the injustice and brutality of modern slavery and human trafficking.
Expectation and Encouragement
We expect all suppliers, organisations and contractors within our frameworks and other companies we engage with to ensure their goods, materials and labour-related supply chains:
• Fully comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015; and are
• Transparent, accountable and auditable; and are
• Free from ethical ambiguities.
• Provide Modern slavery training both internally to staff and externally to their contractors and sub-contractors
Public Reporting of Non-compliance
Individuals who have reasonable suspicion or evidence of non-compliance with the Modern Slavery Act in connection with any AF Group supply chain or third-party contractor we engage with are encouraged to report their concerns to Sharon Armiger (Central Services Director) using the following email address: sarmiger@afswitchgear.co.uk.
Alternatively, if you hold information that could lead to the identification, discovery and recovery of victims of modern slavery or human trafficking in the UK, you can contact the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121700 or alternatively follow the link to the National reporting mechanism;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-report-modern-slavery/how-to-report-modern-slavery , and
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-trafficking-victims-referral-and-assessment-forms
Victim Support
If you think you are a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking, use the victim support link to contact the Modern Slavery Helpline. Trained operators will help you to understand what is available including information, advice and ways to access government-funded support.
The Modern Slavery Helpline is confidential, but, if you don’t want to give your name, that is fine.
Modern slavery website https://www.victimsupport.org.uk and hotline 0333 270 7704
The Gang Masters and Labour Abuse Authority – GLAA works in partnership to protect vulnerable and exploited workers
The GLAA are a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) governed by an independent board.
The role of the GLAA is to protect vulnerable and exploited workers. Through the intelligence they receive from inspections, the public, industry and other government departments, they investigate reports of worker exploitation and illegal activity such as human trafficking, forced labour and illegal labour provision, as well as offences under the National Minimum Wage and Employment Agencies Acts.
The GLAA will investigate all aspects of labour exploitation in England and Wales but will also work with partner organisations such as the police, the National Crime Agency and other government law enforcement agencies to target, dismantle and disrupt serious and organised crime across the UK.
Reporting abusive practice can be undertaken by visiting the GLAA website: https://www.gla.gov.uk
Our policies and statement are approved at board level.
Policy Review and Statement Approach
We continually review our policy and statement against our activities to establish and maintain whether the approach we take embraces best practice.