Version number
Version 1
Date of publication
September 2022
Scope
Organisational
Policy owner
Reece Hobson-Adams,
Director of Fletchers Foundation
Review date
(Annually) August 2023
Document control
Any changes to this document need to be agreed by
Reece Hobson-Adams who is the policy lead and holder
Control log
Version 1 – September 2022
Contents
- Overview 3
- Policy Statement 3
- Our standards 4
- Responsibilities 5
- Laws and Regulations 6
- Monitoring and Compliance 6
- Training 6
- Review and Maintenance 7
- Appendices 7
Appendix A – Definitions 8
Introduction
This is the modern slavery and human trafficking statement for Fletchers Foundation, for the financial year ending 31 March 2023. It is the first statement Sense has made in compliance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Our business and our structure
We support through grants for equipment, prosthetics, mental wellbeing treatment, respite, and other treatments.
Fletchers Foundation is a national grant giving charitable foundation that supports people thrive after life changing circumstance, following injury or medical negligence.
Our supply chains and due diligence processes
Fletchers Foundation is committed to ensuring that the organisation and its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking, and that the necessary due diligence is undertaken to provide assurance of this. The Director of the Foundation, Reece Hobson, has overall responsibility for this area.
Our risk analysis for modern slavery and human trafficking affecting our organisation has concluded that this remains a low risk. The area’s most likely to be affected by modern slavery are from new grant applications.
We set out below the due diligence processes Fletchers Foundation has put in place to prevent the organisation from being involved with modern slavery in any way.
Grant Applications
We seek to establish long-term relationships with guarantor partners who understand Fletchers Foundation and our values. Guarantor partners act on behalf of grant applicants, limiting risks such as financial risks and potential safeguarding issues.
Fletchers Foundation will secure statements from all guarantor partners guaranteeing their compliance with the Act through our Code of Conduct and that they cannot be engaged without it. This is renewed annually to ensure continued compliance.
Trading
We seek to establish long-term relationships with suppliers who understand Fletchers Foundation and our values.
We secure statements from all suppliers of new goods, guaranteeing their compliance with the Act through our Code of Conduct and they cannot be engaged without it.
This is renewed annually to ensure continued compliance.
Procurement
Fletchers Foundation’s procurement practices incorporate processes to ensure that our major suppliers of goods comply with the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Invitations to tender require suppliers to confirm their compliance with the Act and to provide a formal statement to this effect. If it is considered necessary, they will be asked to provide further assurances.
Depending on the type of goods being provided and the origin of the supply chains involved, further due diligence may be undertaken if necessary.
Effectiveness and Assurance
Fletchers Foundation would not tolerate slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and will terminate our relationship with any suppliers where there was evidence of their failure to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Although it is important to undertake due diligence with our suppliers, we do not consider that it is necessary to set any performance indicators for this area. We will however continue to keep this under review.
Our policies in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking
We are a values–led organisation and we have several policies which relate to modern slavery and human trafficking. Our policies on recruitment, whistleblowing, finance, equality & diversity, and disciplinary and procurement procedures should ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking in any form, will not directly impinge on our organisation.
However, we will be ensuring that it is specifically referenced in relevant HR policies before the end of this financial year.
Our Safeguarding policy already refers to the fact that people with learning disabilities are also at risk of being coerced into modern slavery.