Other Policies

Haygrove’s Modern Slavery Statement 2018

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps we have taken to ensure that our business as well as our supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking during the financial year ending 31/12/2018.

Introduction

Haygrove is committed to establishing action plans to assist in the prevention of slavery and human trafficking from our own business, as well as seeking to ensure that our supply chains are also free from such practices.

Haygrove is committed to respecting human rights ensuring we identify and assess the risks, mitigating those risks and where necessary taking appropriate remedial action where instances may be found within our own business and also within our supply chain.

Our organisational structure and operations

Haygrove Ltd founded in 1988 by the Chairman, Angus Davison, is a berry-farming business with enterprises in the UK, South Africa and Portugal. The business also has Growing Systems enterprises in China, Germany, USA, Mexico, Australia and Poland, with sales staff in a further 15+ countries.

Haygrove takes pride in maximising opportunity for everyone involved within the business, whilst always living the company values.

The business defines success in human terms, constantly seeking to “create opportunities for great people, particularly those who have drawn the short straw”, and measuring its’ results across three bottom lines: People, Profit and Planet.

Haygrove Ltd employs 989 people globally and a further 3,350 on fixed term or seasonal contracts, with an annual global turnover of £101m.

Nature of our supply chains

Our supply chain involves the purchase of metals, manufactured componentry, polythene, from primarily within the UK, Europe and Asia.

Policies relating to slavery and human trafficking

Our Anti-slavery policy reflects our commitment to implementing and enforcing effective procedures and controls to minimise the risks of human trafficking and other modern slavery practices infiltrating our business operations or supply chains, and to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business activities and relationships.

Haygrove ensure that our supply chain are aware of our anti-slavery policy and that an ethical code of conduct is in place. This has been distributed and agreed with our key suppliers. Within the agreement sub suppliers are expected to conform to the same level as first tier suppliers.

Haygrove policies have been developed by adhering to the CIPS Ethical Code of Conduct in all our transactions with suppliers.

Risk assessment

Haygrove use the following processes and information to assess which of our own activities and those within the supply chain represent the highest risks in respect of slavery or human trafficking:

Policy of carrying out an ethical audit on all new suppliers prior to engagement.
Ongoing audit schedule to verify supplier conformity within the current supply chain.

On the basis of this, we have identified the following activities and operations to be at highest risk of infiltration in relation to slavery and human trafficking:

Within our own business:

Recruitment of seasonal workers
External labour providers

Within our Supply Chain:

Sourcing from low cost countries.

We also seek to continually review the operations of existing suppliers in relation to the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Due diligence processes in relation to slavery and human trafficking within Haygrove:

In order to monitor and mitigate the risks of slavery and human trafficking occurring within our own business we undertake the following due diligence processes in relation to the recruitment and employment of all permanent, fixed term contract and seasonal staff:

Have a senior individual responsible for human rights, ethical trade and CSR
Recruit directly where we can, with a dedicated and trained team of professionals
Where we cannot, we use established labour providers who are approved and audited, and registered with the relevant regulators
Provide a detailed induction and training process for all new staff
Identity check all staff prior to employment
A senior individual has attended Stronger Together training
Staff surveys are conducted
Provide an anonymous report system for complaints and investigations
A bespoke worker portal has been set up which includes an ability to ‘speak out’ in confidence to the HR and Welfare team
A Welfare team is provided to visit individuals and encourage open conversation regarding topics such as forced labour
Conduct regular staff briefings with the topic of forced labour and add this to standard meeting agendas
Haygrove has committed to comply with the ETI Base Code.

Due diligence processes in relation to slavery and human trafficking within Haygrove’s Supply Chain:

In order to monitor and mitigate the risks of slavery and human trafficking occurring within our supply chains we undertake the following due diligence processes in relation to all suppliers:

Haygrove ensure that our suppliers are aware of our anti-slavery policy.
Ethical code of conduct has been distributed and agreed with our key suppliers.
Within the agreement sub suppliers are expected to conform to the same level as our first tier suppliers.

Staff training

We provide training to key staff to ensure that they understand the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking infiltrating our business or supply chains and effectively operate our policies and procedures aimed at mitigating this risk.

Monitoring of our due diligence processes:

Haygrove Ltd intend to carry out ethical audits on suppliers who constitute 80% of our overall spend. In addition to this 100% of suppliers from highlighted low cost countries will be ethically audited.

This journey began in May 2016 with the implementation of rigorous ethical auditing across our supply chain.

Future action

As a result of Haygrove’s assessment, we aim to take the following further steps over the course of the next financial year:

Within our business:

Agree Corporate Social Responsibility policy, apply and comply
Written formal process for supervisors and workers to report and record suspected cases
Create a worker representation group to engage with employee representatives to determine if there are issues with harassment, coercion and bullying

Within our supply chain:

Identify further information within our supply chain where there may be migrant or seasonal labour, and filling any information gaps regarding working practices
Continue to assess the current supply chain with self-assessment questionnaires
Conduct social and ethical audits of the supply chain
Ensure social targets are evaluated alongside commercial deliverables
Establish and develop a process for responding to complaints or reported violations
Develop a process and criteria for severing relationships with non-compliant suppliers
Communicate all new processes internally to all staff and to suppliers and other key third parties

This statement has been approved by Richard Mills, Finance Director. It will be reviewed and updated annually