Gardeners Downham Modern Slavery Statement

Gardeners Downham sets out this Modern Slavery Statement to affirm our commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct across our operations. We recognise the responsibility to prevent modern slavery and trafficking in any form, and this statement outlines our approach, controls and ongoing actions to mitigate risk in our workforce and supply chains.

The organisation’s position is clear: we operate a zero-tolerance policy toward forced labour, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. As part of our anti-slavery stance, we embed rights-based practices in recruitment, contracting and supplier management. This modern slavery policy is aligned with prevailing legislation and international best practices and is communicated to all employees and partners.

Zero-Tolerance Policy and Governance

Our zero-tolerance approach means Gardeners Downham will take decisive action when issues are identified, including remediation, termination of contracts and cooperation with authorities where necessary. We have governance structures to ensure compliance: the Board reviews policy annually, senior management oversees implementation, and designated officers monitor day-to-day adherence to the slavery statement.

We maintain a structured programme of supplier audits and due diligence to assess and reduce the risk of modern slavery within our supply chain. Suppliers are required to declare compliance with our standards and to permit verification checks. These supplier assessments form a central part of our supply chain transparency and risk management.

Supplier Audits, Risk Assessment and Remediation

Supplier audits include document reviews, on-site inspections where practical, and targeted follow-up on issues identified. We prioritise audits based on risk indicators—geography, sector and labour practices. Key elements assessed include:

• Worker contracts and payslips to verify lawful employment;
• Working hours, health and safety compliance and accommodation conditions;
• Recruitment practices, including the use of third-party labour providers and agency workers;
• Evidence of freedom of movement and absence of retention of identity documents.

If issues are found, we pursue remediation plans with clear milestones and monitor progress until resolved. Persistent or severe non-compliance may result in contract termination and escalation to enforcement bodies.

Robust reporting channels are central to our anti-slavery framework. Employees, suppliers and third parties may raise concerns through confidential mechanisms. We promote safe, anonymous reporting and protect whistleblowers from retaliation. Reports are investigated promptly and impartially by trained investigators.

In addition to internal hotlines, we operate structured case management to ensure allegations are documented, analyzed for systemic issues and used to strengthen controls. Training programmes educate staff and contractors to recognise signs of exploitation and to use reporting channels. We emphasise remediation and supportive measures for affected individuals.

Gardeners Downham conducts an annual review of this slavery statement and associated policies to ensure continuous improvement. The review examines audit findings, incident reports, supply chain changes and legislative updates. Outcomes of the annual review inform revisions to our action plan, training syllabus and supplier engagement strategies.

We publish and communicate our policies and expect suppliers to adopt equivalent standards. Our ongoing commitments include strengthening supplier due diligence, expanding audit coverage and integrating modern slavery risk into procurement decisions. We also continue to develop collaborative initiatives with peers to address sector-wide challenges.

Gardeners Downham’s modern slavery statement is a living document: it reflects current mitigations and forecasts evolving risks. Transparency, prevention and remediation are the pillars of our approach, upheld by a company-wide culture that does not tolerate exploitation in any form.

Through persistent monitoring, targeted supplier audits, secure reporting channels and an annual review cycle, Gardeners Downham reaffirms its determination to eradicate modern slavery from its operations and supply chains. This slavery statement is endorsed by senior leadership and will be reviewed at least once every twelve months to ensure it remains effective and relevant.