Introduction

This statement sets out Connect Care Recruitment’s actions to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to its business and to put in place steps that are aimed at ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in its own business and its supply chains. This statement relates to actions and activities during the financial year 6 April 2018 to 5 April 2019.

As part of the recruitment industry, the organisation recognises that it has a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking.

The organisation is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activities, and to ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.

Organisational structure and supply chains

This statement covers the activities of Connect Care Recruitment:

  • Connect Care delivers permanent recruitment solutions placing Specialist Nurses and Senior Non-Clinical Professionals working within the Healthcare sector.

Countries of operation and supply

The organisation currently operates in the following countries:

  • United Kingdom

The following is the process by which the company assesses whether or not particular activities or countries are high risk in relation to slavery or human trafficking:

  • Identify and assess potential risk areas when considering taking on new suppliers and regularly review our existing supply chains
  • Review the potential for risk at regular intervals, including the possibility of re-auditing a supplier or conducting spot checks.
  • Protect whistle blowers.

High-risk activities

After due consideration, we have not identified any significant risks of modern slavery, forced labour, or human trafficking in our supply chain. However, we continue to be alert to the potential for problems.

Responsibility

Responsibility for the organisation’s anti-slavery initiatives is as follows:

  • Policies: The Director is responsible for putting in place and reviewing policies and the process by which they were developed.
  • Training: To maintain awareness and ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our business our Modern Slavery Policy is included on our website. We also provide training to all members of staff and this has been incorporated into our induction programme.

Relevant policies

The organisation operates the following policies that describe its approach to the identification of modern slavery risks and steps to be taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking in its operations:

  • Whistleblowing policy The organisation encourages all its workers, customers and other business partners to report any concerns related to the direct activities, or the supply chains of, the organisation. This includes any circumstances that may give rise to an enhanced risk of slavery or human trafficking. The organisation’s whistleblowing procedure is designed to make it easy for workers to make disclosures, without fear of retaliation. Employees, customers or others who have concerns can contact our head office anonymously or complete our confidential disclosure form.
  • Employee code of conduct The organisation’s code makes clear to employees the actions and behaviour expected of them when representing the organisation. The organisation strives to maintain the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behaviour when operating abroad and managing its supply chain.
  • Supplier code of conduct The organisation is committed to ensuring that its suppliers adhere to the highest standards of ethics. Suppliers are required to demonstrate that they provide safe working conditions where necessary, treat workers with dignity and respect, and act ethically and within the law in their use of labour. The organisation works with suppliers to ensure that they meet the standards of the code and improve their worker’s working conditions. However, serious violations of the organisation’s supplier code of conduct will lead to the termination of the business relationship.

Due diligence

The organisation undertakes due diligence when considering taking on new suppliers, and regularly reviews its existing suppliers. The organisation’s due diligence and reviews include:

  • mapping the supply chain broadly to assess particular product or geographical risks of modern slavery and human trafficking;
  • evaluating the modern slavery and human trafficking risks of each new supplier (this may be part of a more general human rights or labour rights assessment);
  • reviewing on a regular basis all aspects of the supply chain based on the supply chain mapping;
  • conducting supplier audits or assessments through the organisation’s own staff/third party auditor, which have a greater degree of focus on slavery and human trafficking where general risks are identified;
  • creating an annual risk profile for each supplier;
  • taking steps to improve substandard suppliers’ practices, including providing advice to suppliers through a third party auditor and requiring them to implement action plans;
  • invoking sanctions against suppliers that fail to improve their performance in line with an action plan or seriously violate our supplier code of conduct, including the termination of the business relationship.

 

Training

The organisation requires all staff within the organisation to complete training on modern slavery.

The organisation’s modern slavery training covers:

  • our business’s purchasing practices, which influence supply chain conditions and which should therefore be designed to prevent purchases at unrealistically low prices, the use of labour engaged on unrealistically low wages or wages below a country’s national minimum wage, or the provision of products by an unrealistic deadline;
  • how to assess the risk of slavery and human trafficking in relation to various aspects of the business, including resources and support available;
  • how to identify the signs of slavery and human trafficking;
  • what initial steps should be taken if slavery or human trafficking is suspected;
  • how to escalate potential slavery or human trafficking issues to the relevant parties within the organisation;
  • what external help is available, for example through the Modern Slavery Helpline, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and “Stronger together” initiative;
  • what messages, business incentives or guidance can be given to suppliers and other business partners and contractors to implement anti-slavery policies; and
  • what steps the organisation should take if suppliers or contractors do not implement anti-slavery policies in high-risk scenarios, including their removal from the organisation’s supply chains.

Awareness-raising programme

As well as training staff, the organisation has raised awareness of modern slavery issues by making this policy freely available on the website.

The policy explains to staff:

  • the basic principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015;
  • how employers can identify and prevent slavery and human trafficking;
  • what employees can do to flag up potential slavery or human trafficking issues to the relevant parties within the organisation; and
  • what external help is available, for example through the Modern Slavery Helpline.

Board approval

This statement was approved on 14/05/18 by the organisation’s board of directors, who review and update it annually.

Director’s name: K. Chhabra

Date: 14/05/18