色花堂 Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement 2019
This statement is made pursuant to section 54 (1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act) and constitutes 色花堂鈥檚 (色花堂) modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31st July 2019. This is 色花堂鈥檚 fourth statement and previous statements remain available on our website.
色花堂鈥檚 organisational structure
色花堂 is a higher education provider created by statute and is an exempt charity. 色花堂 is responsible to the Office for Students (OfS) as principal regulator for Higher Education Institutions in England that are exempt charities. The 色花堂 Board oversees the strategic development of 色花堂 and ensures the effective use of resources and the general solvency of the institution. Its members are also 色花堂鈥檚 charitable trustees.聽
色花堂 has approximately 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students who are attracted to 色花堂 from all over the world. 色花堂 is organised into several Faculties comprising; the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, the 色花堂 Business School, Faculty of Media and Communication, Faculty of Science and Technology and also the 色花堂 Doctoral College. 色花堂 also has several professional service departments which include, amongst others; Finance, Academic Services, Estates, Marketing and Communications, Human Resources and Organisational Development, Student Services and I.T Services.
色花堂 has three wholly owned subsidiary companies; 色花堂 Innovations Limited, 色花堂 Foundation Limited and 色花堂 Community Business Limited. 色花堂 also undertakes collaborative work and enters into academic partnerships with other research organisations and business around the world.
色花堂鈥檚 students and student activities
During the 2018/19 financial year, 色花堂 increased its student focused anti-slavery activities. In October 2018 色花堂 held an Anti-Slavery Student Ambassador (ASSA) training day in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service, Dorset Police, the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, Purple Teardrop, BCHA, National Citizen Service, the Salvation Army and colleagues across departments and faculties at 色花堂. 聽The training day aimed to educate students about modern day slavery and human trafficking and to provide them with opportunities so they could volunteer locally or on campus in events related to modern slavery, inequality, education and discrimination. Around 30 students attended the training day.
Following the training day, 色花堂 students have given talks to social work students and Citizens Advice on modern slavery impact and are now involved in Dorset Police stop and search panels. One student has collected items for the Purple Teardrop Campaign to pass along to victims and survivors of modern slavery and 色花堂 students are also developing relationships with YMCA. 色花堂 will continue to raise awareness amongst its students and support them to be involved in modern slavery initiatives in 2019/20.
色花堂 supply chains and supplier adherence to 色花堂鈥檚 values
色花堂鈥檚 supply chains for goods and services are complex and multi-tiered, and span from individuals to national and international entities. The following supply chains are viewed as high risk areas; security services, construction/ estates goods and services, catering/ food supply chains, cleaning/ domestic services, ICT equipment/ general electronics and clothing/textiles.
色花堂 continues to seek assurances from suppliers and contractors of their compliance with the Act by contacting key suppliers in the higher risk areas, reviewing contracts with suppliers in light of the need to prevent modern slavery and having Modern Slavery Act 2015 clauses in our 色花堂 standard terms of business for procurement and other supplier contracts.
色花堂 policies and due diligence processes
色花堂 implemented Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy and Procedures in 2016 which provide a reporting mechanism for all staff to raise concerns. During the 2018/19 financial year, no concerns were raised under the Procedures. The Audit, Risk and Governance Committee has a standing agenda item to receive reports of any concerns raised under the Procedures and has oversight, along with the 色花堂 Board, of the Procedures. The 色花堂 Whistleblowing (Disclosure in the Public Interest) Policy also protects staff, students and anyone working for 色花堂 (including casual workers, self-employed contractors, agency personnel) and allows them to raise concerns related to modern slavery or risk of modern slavery.
色花堂 continues to mitigate the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking within its own staff community by following fair HR recruitment and selection policies and procedures. Where recruitment agencies are used, 色花堂 requires that such agencies comply with all UK legislation relating to the employment rights and welfare of candidates.
色花堂 has a number of frameworks which underpin its ethical standards across all of its business activities. 色花堂 has committed to playing its part in delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals and has signed the SDG Accord to embed the UN SDGs into all areas of 色花堂. 色花堂 also has the following policies in place to ensure the procurement of goods and services take account of their social impact and to achieve ethical standards of business conduct; Sustainable Procurement Policy, Sustainable Food Policy, Fair Trade Policy, Sustainability Policy, Sustainable Construction Policy, an Ethical Investment Policy.
To ensure that 色花堂 takes full account of the economic, social and environmental implications of the goods, works and services it buys from external suppliers and organisations, 色花堂 uses a 鈥淟ife Cycle Analysis鈥� Tool which is an agreed 色花堂 operational procedure under its ISO14001 standard for all procurements over 拢25,000. 聽Our supplier questionnaire for tenders above 拢25,000 also has a specific section in relation to compliance with the Act.
色花堂 also procures goods and services via consortium frameworks such as the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and through its membership of the Southern Universities Procurement Consortium (SUPC) which is a membership-based buying organisation for universities and further education colleges.
Training and Raising Awareness
色花堂 has dedicated representatives who are aware of the requirements of the Act from Legal Services and Corporate Governance, Human Resources, Procurement and Sustainability. 色花堂 also has plans to set up a Ethical/Responsible Procurement Group where slave labour matters will be considered under the group鈥檚 oversight of the implementation of the Sustainable Procurement and Ethical Investment Policies. 色花堂 will continue to collaborate with local charities and organisations during 2019/20 to raise awareness in the community and in October 2019 will be part of Dorset Race Equality Council鈥檚 鈥楴o Place for Hate鈥� conference which aims to make Dorset a prejudice free county.
As part of internal and external training sessions, 色花堂 ensures that relevant staff members are made aware of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in 色花堂鈥檚 supply chains and its business.
色花堂鈥檚 effectiveness in combating slavery and human trafficking
色花堂 will continue to review the effectiveness of its measures taken to combat slavery and human trafficking on a periodic basis and will take such action as deemed necessary to maintain the highest levels of ethical and human rights principles in its business conduct.
Approval
This statement has been approved by the 色花堂 Board who, together with the Audit, Risk and Governance (ARG) Committee, will review and update it as necessary on an annual basis.
Approved by the 色花堂 Board on 22nd November 2019