Anti-slavery and human trafficking statement
E. Park & Sons Limited is making a modern slavery and human trafficking statement in accordance with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
We oppose slavery and human trafficking in all its forms and make this statement to set out the steps we have taken to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our business or in our supply chains.
About us
We are a family owned and run business supplying fresh conventional potatoes and fresh organic potatoes to major retailers, wholesalers, food service companies, food processors and restaurateurs.
We currently employ approximately 190 colleagues within the UK. As a family business, we pride ourselves in providing a safe, secure and respectable working environment.
We strive to make our business an enjoyable and rewarding place to work, which nurtures and develops our colleagues for the benefit of the individual, the business and the community.
Modern slavery is entirely unacceptable and we are committed to developing and improving procedures for ensuring that such practices do not occur within our business or within our supply chains.
We are making this statement to show our commitment to ethical trading principles and to set out the steps we are taking to tackle the potential threat of modern slavery and human trafficking within our business and within our supply chains.
The legal director has overall responsibility for the implementation and operation of our Modern Slavery policies and procedures.
Our supply chain
Our supply chains are mainly made up of the following:
- Growers- The majority of our produce come from UK farms. In addition to UK produce, we source from other countries to ensure year-round supply. These countries include: Italy; Belgium; France; Holland; Egypt; and Israel.
- Packaging suppliers- We use a number of leading suppliers of packing material to supply our packaging needs.
- Temporary labour providers- We work closely with two temporary labour providers. The majority of our colleagues are employed directly by us.
- Contract cleaning service- We directly employ a number of cleaning staff. We use a contract cleaning company for the cleaning of the office areas.
Our Policies
The following policies reflect our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains:
- Equal opportunities policy;
- Anti-harassment and bullying policy;
- Anti-corruption and bribery policy;
- Whistleblowing policy;
- Anti-slavery and human trafficking policy; and
- Recruitment policy.
These policies have been developed by the legal director and are reviewed annually.
Supply chain due diligence and risk assessment
To help identify and monitor the risk of slavery and human trafficking in our supply chain, we undertake the following due diligence procedures:
- Our raw material suppliers are approved annually.
- All UK raw material suppliers must have Red Tractor accreditation, be SEDEX approved and encouraged to attend Stronger Together- Tackling Modern Slavery in UK Business workshops. Our UK retail raw material suppliers must also have LEAF Marque accreditation.
- All overseas raw material suppliers must have Global Gap accreditation and be SEDEX approved.
- All raw material supplier contracts incorporate provisions requiring suppliers to comply fully with all appropriate legislation including but not limited to the Modern Slavery Act 2015, Bribery Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
- All raw material suppliers are required to complete Grower Undertakings, which include questions relevant to Modern Slavery and Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority provisions.
- Our fieldsmen visit all of our UK growers to ensure all relevant standards are being met.
- Senior management visit overseas growers whenever possible to assess the appropriateness of working condition.
- Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority active checks are undertaken against our temporary labour providers.
- Business relationships are terminated forthwith in the event of continued non-compliance of our policies and procedures.
Our procedures are designed to:
- Establish and assess areas of potential risk in our business and supply chains;
- Monitor potential risk areas in our business and supply chains;
- Reduce the risk of slavery and human trafficking occurring in our business and supply chains; and
- Provide adequate protection for whistleblowers.
Company due diligence and training
We have a zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking and wish to make our company as unattractive as possible to those individuals who wish to exploit others.
Steps that have been undertaken internally to combat exploitation within our business, in addition to the above company policies, are as follows:
- A director and factory operations manager have attended Stronger Together training in relation to tackling modern slavery in UK businesses.
- An account manager has attended a customer run training programme in relation to understanding the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking within UK businesses.
- A director has completed Equal Opportunities training through ACAS.
- Supporting others and creating a mentally healthy workplace training has been undertaken by a director
- Information concerning modern slavery and how it can be identified is included in the employee induction process.
- Stronger Together Multi-Language Worker Posters have been placed at multiple, discrete, locations on site.
- Whistleblowing information, including the organisations to report to (Protect, Protector Line, Speak Up and Stronger2gether.org), are set out in Policy documents, published on staff noticeboards and included in the employee induction process.
- External “trusted interpreters” have been identified.
- A Food Safety Culture team, consisting of a cross section of colleagues from different departments, has been created. The purpose of the team is to create a proactive, positive culture within the business.
- An anonymous comment box has been left in the staff area, where colleagues can leave suggestions on how the culture and/or operation of the business can be improved, together with any other concerns they may have.
- We have recently completed a SEDEX Self-Assessment Questionnaire.
- We receive regular external audits from our customers and compliance organisations. We currently hold the highest BRC unannounced accreditation.
Further actions
Following our review of our actions this financial year to prevent slavery or human trafficking from occurring in our business or supply chain, we intend to take the following, further, steps:
- Create a dedicated compliance team to continually monitor the risk of modern slavery within our business and within our supply chains.
- Appoint a colleague as a “Modern Slavery Champion”.
- Obtain the Stronger Together Business Partner accreditation.
- Undertake further risk assessments in relation to our supplier base.
- Non-raw material suppliers will be asked to complete modern slavery due diligence questionnaires.
- Continually train colleagues in relation to spotting modern slavery risks within our business and within our supply chains.
Sign Off
This statement is made in accordance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes E. Park & Sons Limited’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 30 June 2024.
This statement was approved by the Board on 11 October 2024
CHRISTOPHER PARK
Director
E. Park & Sons Limited
Date: 17.10.2024
