Gardener Muswell Hill - Modern Slavery Statement

Gardener Muswell Hill is committed to preventing any form of forced labour, human trafficking or exploitation across our operations. This modern slavery statement documents our approach during the financial year and sets out our zero-tolerance policy. We recognise our responsibility to ensure that our workforce and supply chain are free from slavery and human trafficking and we publish this anti-slavery statement to make our position clear and transparent.

Our zero-tolerance policy applies to all employees, contractors and third-party suppliers engaged by Gardener Muswell Hill. We require anyone who provides goods or services on our behalf to adhere to the principles of this modern slavery policy and the slavery and human trafficking statement we maintain. Compliance with labour standards is a condition of engagement and is embedded into contracts and procurement documentation.

Scope and obligations

This statement covers all activities under the control of Gardener Muswell Hill, including landscaping, gardening maintenance, seasonal labour and subcontracted services. Our approach to eradicating forced labour comprises policy, due diligence, supplier audits and training. We actively seek to identify and mitigate risks associated with modern slavery in our direct operations and across the supply chain.

We operate a supplier code of conduct and contract clauses that require suppliers to confirm compliance with anti-slavery laws and our anti-slavery statement. Suppliers must provide evidence of lawful recruitment, fair pay and safe working conditions. Where risks are identified, we require remediation plans and reserve the right to terminate relationships for serious or persistent breaches.

Supplier audits and due diligence

We conduct regular supplier audits, which include documentation checks, site visits and interviews where appropriate. Audits focus on areas of higher risk such as seasonal labour sourcing, agency recruitment and subcontracted manual work. Our due diligence process includes verifying employment records, ensuring valid right-to-work documentation and auditing payroll processes to confirm correct wage payments.

To support effective risk management we maintain a risk register and apply proportionate measures to suppliers assessed as medium or high risk. These measures include increased frequency of audits, mandatory corrective action plans and enhanced contract monitoring. Our objectives are to identify potential indicators of modern slavery early and to act decisively to protect affected workers.

Reporting channels - We provide secure and confidential channels for reporting suspected modern slavery or human trafficking. Workers, suppliers and members of the public can report concerns without fear of retaliation. Reports are investigated promptly by designated personnel and appropriate remedial action is taken where necessary. We emphasise that all reports are treated seriously and investigated objectively in line with our incident response procedures.

We require all managers and procurement staff to complete training in recognising the signs of exploitation, understanding the modern slavery policy and knowing how to escalate concerns. Training is refreshed annually and forms part of induction for new staff. Education and awareness are critical to embedding the anti-slavery policy into everyday practice and ensuring our teams remain vigilant.

Annual review and continuous improvement - Gardener Muswell Hill conducts an annual review of this modern slavery and human trafficking statement to assess the effectiveness of our measures. The review considers audit outcomes, incidents reported through reporting channels, supplier performance and evolving legal and industry standards. Findings are used to update policies, improve supplier controls and enhance training.