Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy Statement
Modern slavery is a crime and a gross violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, 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.
We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and are fully committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in our corporate activities. We are also committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains, consistent with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We all have a responsibly to be alert to the risks, however small, in our business and in the wider supply chain.
This policy applies to all personnel working for Etex (Exteriors) UK Ltd or on its behalf and sets out actions to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to business and to ensure that steps are in place and being maintained to prevent slavery and human trafficking.
This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment and we reserve the right to amend it at any time.
OUR BUSINESS
Etex (Exteriors) UK Ltd specializes in the manufacturing and selling of fibre cement roof and façade materials and employs 172 employees across the UK with sites at Burton on Trent and Meldreth.
OUR SUPPLY CHAINS AND SUPPLIER ADHERENCE TO OUR VALUES
Etex (Exteriors) UK Ltd are committed to sourcing raw materials and managing the supply chain in a responsible and sustainable manner. We undertake to ensure that our suppliers operate ethically, comply with applicable legislation, and to take responsibility for their actions with regard to quality, health and safety, workforce welfare and employment practices, environmental impact, water and waste management, the social and environmental impacts of transportation, and the reduction of greenhouse gases associated with the production of materials and products.
To achieve these objectives, all new suppliers to ETEX (Exteriors) UK Ltd will ensure that they, their subcontractors and business partners comply as a minimum with all applicable legal requirements and with the principles outlined in Etex (Exteriors) UK Ltd’s policies (copies available on request);
• Health & Safety Policy.
• Quality Policy.
• Environmental Policy
• Responsible Sourcing Policy
In addition, Etex (Exteriors) UK Ltd requests that the criteria set out in the Purchasing CSR & responsible Sourcing Policy are also met by its suppliers as a way of ensuring a high level of responsible sourcing within the supply chain.
OUR POLICIES ON SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains, across our employee population, or in any part of our business. This Anti-slavery Policy statement reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place or accepted anywhere in out supply chains.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY
• All employees must ensure that they read, understand and comply with this policy.
• The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of our business or supply chains is the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. It is a requirement that any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy, is avoided
• Employees are required to notify their manager or HR Department as soon as possible if they believe or suspect that a conflict with this policy has occurred, or may occur in the future.
• Employees are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or supply chains of any supplier tier at the earliest possible stage.
• If a breach of this policy is believed or suspected to have occurred or that it may occur, the line manager, or HR Department, must be notified immediately, or it should be reported in accordance with our Whistleblowing Policy (Employee Handbook) as soon as possible.
• If there is any uncertainty about whether a particular act, the treatment of workers more generally, or their working conditions within any tier of our supply chains constitutes any of the various forms of modern slavery, this concern must be raised with the line manager or HR Department..
We aim to encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. We are committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of reporting in good faith their suspicion that modern slavery of whatever form is or may be taking place in any part of our own business or in any of our supply chains. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action, threats or other unfavourable treatment connected with raising a concern.
If it is believed that an individual has suffered any such treatment, an employee should inform their line manager or HR Department immediately. If the matter is not remedied, then an employee should raise it formally using our Grievance Procedure.
COMMUNICATION AND AWARENESS OF THIS POLICY
Training on this policy, and on the risk our business faces from modern slavery in its supply chains, forms part of an induction process for all individuals who work for us, and regular training will be provided as necessary.
Our zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.
BREACHES OF THIS POLICY
Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct.
We may terminate our relationship with other individuals and organisations working on our behalf if they breach this policy.
Signed:
Jayne Arkell
Country Manager
December 2020
Note: This policy statement is made in accordance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes the organisation’s current slavery and human trafficking policy statement