MODERN SLAVERY & HUMAN TRAFFICKING STATEMENT

Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.

Ametros FM (Ametros Facilities Management Limited) understands the service sector to be at most risk of potential modern slavery within its labour supply chain and therefore has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and significant processes in place to detect and prevent it within the operation. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains.

Although the business operates under the threshold for the Modern Slavery Policy ruling, we are also committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains, consistent with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

We expect the same high standards from all of our contractors, suppliers and other business partners, and as part of our contracting processes, we include specific prohibitions against the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour, or anyone held in slavery or servitude, whether adults or children, and we expect that our suppliers will hold their own suppliers to the same high standards. The business upholds a Critical Success Factor of 0% evidence of modern slavery within our supply chain, and aim to resolve an investigation of any report of evidenced or suspicion of modern slavery within our operations within 48 hours.

This statement applies to all persons working for Ametros FM or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, interns, agents, contractors, external consultants, third-party representatives and business partners.

Responsibility

The Managing Director has overall responsibility for ensuring this statement complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that all those under our control comply with it.

The management team has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this statement, monitoring its use and effectiveness, dealing with any queries, and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering modern slavery.

Compliance

Employees must ensure they read, understand and comply with this statement. The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of our business or supply chains is the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. Employees are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this statement.

Employees are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or supply chains of any supplier tier at the earliest possible stage.

If an employee believes or suspects a breach of this statement has occurred or that it may occur, they must notify their manager or report it in accordance with the Company’s Whistleblowing Policy as soon as possible.

We aim to encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this statement, even if they turn out to be mistaken. We are committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of reporting in good faith their suspicion that modern slavery of whatever form is or may be taking place in any part of our own business or in any of our supply chains.

 Communication

Our zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery will be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.

Ametros maintains an environment which encourages open communication, encouraging disclosures at all levels of the business and provides opportunity to seek assistance or support from the onboarding process to post-contract debriefing.

Training

All employees will have access to an online Modern Slavery training programme. This will be assigned to the employee on joining the Company and again at regular intervals throughout their time with Ametros FM. Training may be reassigned due to changes in legislation or guidance or for the improvement of our team’s standard of knowledge.

All employees engaged in recruitment activity must complete the online training during their induction period. This package will cover key indicators of modern slavery and human trafficking, advice on best practice, how to approach a victim and channels for reporting suspicions to the relevant government agency, where applicable.

Any training provided in this subject will be certified by CPD Certification Service and recognised as conforming to universally accepted Continuing Professional Development (CPD) guidelines.

Any individual who has not completed the training must not engage in the following activities:

  • Recruitment of new temporary workers
  • Reengagement of previously employed temporary workers
  • Conducting right to work checks
  • Taking and processing any change of details from a temporary staff member
  • Any task involving building and updating Employee Management System profiles.

Any suspicions of modern slavery should be relayed to a member of senior management. A decision will be made on how best to approach the situation. In the case where the suspicion(s) must be escalated to the relevant government agency, more information may need to be gathered. Suspicions of any level will be acknowledged and addressed appropriately.

We actively encourage staff to come forward with any concerns about the welfare of any member of our teams or anyone they come into contact with during the course of their duties.

Breaches of Policy

Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct.

We may terminate our relationship with other individuals and organisations working on our behalf if they breach this statement. We are committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking.

Ben Young
Director

June 2023