Modern Slavery Statement

Introduction by the Chief Executive

The Advocacy People maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards modern slavery. As an organisation we are committed to acting both ethically and with integrity to ensure that modern slavery does not occur within our organisation, with any of our partners or our wider supply chain.

We communicate our stance to all staff through internal systems, and to our partners and other stakeholders by publication on our website and related policies. We take our responsibility to adhere to all principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 very seriously.

Structure, Business, and Supply Chains

The Advocacy People are an independent charity and one of the larger advocacy providers in the health and social care sector. We provide support that allows people to have their voice heard in decisions being taken regarding their health and wellbeing as an individual and/or as part of the wider communities in which they live and have been doing so for almost 30 years.

Governance is provided through our Board of Trustees, who volunteer their time to provide strategic oversight and direction to the Senior Leadership team, who in turn lead, direct and manage our business with a staffing complement of over 300 people (paid and voluntary). The Board’s Audit and Risk subcommittee review our approach to compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Suppliers

We are committed to ensuring that our suppliers share in our high standards and that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our supply chain. We look to ensure that all our major suppliers are compliant with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act and understand the annual reporting guidelines if and where applicable to them.

We require contractors to be aware of and follow relevant sections of our safeguarding and health and safety policies. As a Living Wage employer, we encourage relationships with suppliers who also adopt this standard. Should any of our suppliers or subcontractors not meet these standards, we will review or end our relationship with them.

We regularly assess the audit measures, to ensure that they meet our objectives, and to decide whether further steps are needed.

Policies in Relation to Slavery and Human Trafficking

We are implementing a comprehensive set of policies to combat slavery and human trafficking, including:

Code of Conduct: Outlining our commitment to ethical business practices, safer recruitment and behaviours expected from our staff.
Working with Suppliers and Partners: This sets out our internal requirements for buying goods and services.
Whistleblowing Policy: Encouraging employees to report any concerns related to slavery and human trafficking.

Due Diligence Processes

Our due diligence processes include:

Conducting risk assessments to identify areas of potential high risk within our business and supply chains within the UK
Auditing suppliers to ensure compliance with our policies.
Engaging with stakeholders to address any issues related to modern slavery.

Risk Assessment and Management

Our risk management approach includes:

Implementing strict supplier vetting processes.
Increasing the frequency of supplier audits.
Collaborating with industry groups to improve standards.

Effectiveness and Performance Indicators

To measure our effectiveness in combating slavery and human trafficking, we use the following performance indicators:

Number of supplier audits conducted.
Number of reported incidents and their resolution.
Employee training completion rates.

Training and Capacity Building

We provide advice and guidance to staff who may be involved in procuring goods for the organisation and awareness training (e-learning) to our staff to ensure they understand the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Conclusion

The Advocacy People are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct. We will continue to review and improve our policies and practices to ensure that slavery and human trafficking have no place in our business or supply chains.