Modern slavery includes: Slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking. Modern slavery is fundamentally unacceptable within the operations of the HB Projects Group (HB Projects, Onyx and HBMS) and our supply chains. The HB Projects Group is committed to making sure modern slavery is not taking place within our operations. This statement applies to the financial year ending 28th February 2020.
Supply chain transparency is a priority for the HB Projects Group. The importance of this is recognised by our objective for 2021/2022 to map our product supply chains and create a tier structure. The HB Projects Group’s products and services are managed by a central Procurement Manager, supported by regional Procurement, Compliance and Commercial team.
Based on values-led leadership, we continually develop our management systems and service delivery to ensure we operate responsibly. Our values are Innovation, Honesty, Quality and Teamwork. Documents relevant to preventing modern slavery within the HB Projects Group, operations include:
All documents have been reviewed during the financial year to ensure they are up-to-date with Human Rights and are available to all employees on our electronic HR management system.
This year the HB Projects Group have amended their standard sub-contractor contractual terms to include obligations on sub-contractors to gain the CHAS Premium Plus accreditation. This accreditation assesses health and safety arrangements and verifies anti-bribery, environmental and modern slavery obligations of the sub-contractor. All our sub-contractors will have CHAS Premium Plus by 1st March 2021 (the original date of 1st November 2020, had to be amended due to the impact of the Pandemic – COVID-19)
Annual reviews are undertaken of service level agreements by HB Projects internal procurement team and the CHAS Premium Plus accreditation is reviewed by CHAS and our internal procurement and compliance team.
We understand that our biggest exposure to modern slavery is in our product and raw material supply chains. The due diligence and monitoring of these suppliers are objectives for 2021 and 2022 (respectively).
Performance management measurement criteria of our suppliers, consultants and sub- contractors is an objective for 2022.
The HB Projects Group undertakes awareness training for all employees; a modern slavery awareness film is shown to all new starters in their company induction with Directors. All our internal buyers have completed or are undertaking CIPS training which includes a module on ethical trading.
Our aim for 2021 is to continue with our sub- contractor information forums to create awareness of modern slavery and to develop an internal purchasing policy and develop our internal procurement team’s knowledge further on ethical trade and purchasing practices.
Updated policies to include modern slavery commitments.
Introduced awareness of modern slavery within our new starter induction.
Reviewed service level agreements to include responsibility of modern slavery for labour only contractors/recruitment and agency workers.
Implemented new supply chain accreditation scheme CHAS Premium Plus; requires verification of a sub- contractor’s modern slavery commitments.
Commitment for 2020-2021
Commitment for 2021-2022
Map our supply chain to modern slavery risks along with preventative steps taken.
Commitment for 2022-2023