Gardener New Cross Modern Slavery Statement

Gardener New Cross confirms its commitment to eradicating all forms of forced labour and human trafficking across its operations. This Modern Slavery Statement explains our principles, our zero-tolerance approach and the actions we take to reduce the risk of modern slavery in our business and supply chains. We publish this modern slavery statement to be transparent about our policies and the practical steps we take throughout the year.

We maintain a clear, company-wide zero-tolerance policy to the exploitation of workers. All colleagues are required to comply with our code of conduct and to report any suspicion of coerced labour or related abuses. The policy is embedded in recruitment, contracting and procurement practices, and aims to protect vulnerable workers by ensuring ethical employment standards in every contract we sign.

Our Gardener New Cross slavery statement includes defined responsibilities for senior leaders and managers to ensure compliance. Risk assessments are carried out for all new suppliers and periodically for high-risk categories. We map our supply chains to understand where risks of endemic or systemic modern slavery can arise and we deploy targeted mitigation where necessary.

Due Diligence and Supplier Audits

We conduct supplier due diligence that includes documentation checks, site visits and third-party verification. Supplier audits are a core part of our program: we audit for working hours, wage compliance, freedom of movement and humane living conditions where applicable. Audit findings lead to corrective action plans and, in repeated or severe cases, termination of the supplier relationship.

Our audit framework combines desktop review and on-site inspections carried out by trained auditors and independent partners. Audit results are scored against our ethical standards and feed into a supplier risk register. Suppliers who score below our thresholds must demonstrate measurable improvements within agreed timeframes or face suspension.

We encourage continuous improvement and capacity building: supplier training, collaborative remediation and regular reviews are offered to raise standards. Payment terms and procurement practices are designed to avoid creating pressures that can increase the risk of exploitative labour.

Reporting Channels and Whistleblowing

We operate multiple confidential reporting channels to enable employees, contractors and third parties to raise concerns. Reports can be submitted anonymously through internal whistleblowing mechanisms, raised to line managers, or escalated to our compliance team. Reporting channels are publicised internally and protected by strict non-retaliation commitments.

All reports are treated seriously and investigated promptly. Investigations follow a clear governance pathway and outcomes may include remediation, disciplinary action or referral to law enforcement where criminal conduct is identified. We record and monitor all reports to ensure timely resolution and organisational learning.

Our approach also includes worker voice mechanisms and periodic surveys to detect subtle signs of exploitation. We maintain partnerships with specialist organisations to support victims and to improve our response where allegations of modern slavery are substantiated.

To ensure effectiveness, this Gardener New Cross modern slavery statement is subject to an annual review led by senior management and approved by the board. The review assesses the performance of our policies, audit outcomes, remediation activity and the evolving risk profile of our supply chains. Annual review findings inform continuous improvement plans and resource allocation.

We set measurable targets and key performance indicators to drive progress, including audit coverage, supplier corrective action completion rates and the number of verified incidents resolved. These metrics are monitored and reported internally to ensure accountability.

In summary, Gardener New Cross is committed to preventing modern slavery in all its forms through a zero-tolerance stance, robust supplier audits, clear reporting channels and a rigorous annual review cycle. We will continue to refine our policies and expand collaboration with suppliers, peers and specialist organisations to uphold the highest ethical standards across our operations and supply chains.