Introduction
This statement is made in accordance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that Interpreting Matters has taken and continues to take to ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking is not taking place within our business or supply chain.
Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour. Interpreting Matters has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and to putting effective systems and controls in place to safeguard against any form of modern slavery taking place within the business or our supply chain.
Our Business
Great Northern Physiotherapy Ltd is a provider of Healthcare services to clients and organisations needing to offer access to their services. We supply Healthcare Services. Services can be provided in person or online. Based in Lincoln, we employ 10 people in the UK and have an annual turnover of under £36 million. Whilst we are not legally required to produce this statement, we recognise our moral responsibility to ensure our business operates ethically.
Our Supply Chain
Our supply chain includes IT, & telecommunications and professional services providers. We recognise that our supply chain, whilst primarily UK-based, may involve international elements where risks of modern slavery could be higher.
Our Policies
We operate the following policies and procedures to ensure we are conducting business in an ethical and transparent manner:
- Recruitment and Employment: We ensure all employees have the right to work in the UK and are employed on transparent terms.
- Supplier Due Diligence: We are committed to ensuring our suppliers adhere to the highest standards of ethics. We expect our suppliers to operate in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We ensure all of our Freelance Workers have the right to work in the UK.
- Whistleblowing: We encourage all employees, clients and suppliers to report any concerns related to our direct activities or our supply chains. We protect whistleblowers and treat all reports seriously.
Risk Assessment and Due Diligence
Given the nature and scale of our business, we assess our risk of modern slavery in our operations and supply chain to be low. However, we remain vigilant and:
- Conduct appropriate checks on new suppliers
- Include contractual obligations regarding modern slavery in our supplier agreements where practicable
- Remain alert to any signs of modern slavery in our business dealings
- Review and update our approach annually.
Training and Awareness
We ensure that our team members understand the risks of modern slavery in our business and supply chain. We commit to discussing modern slavery regularly at our team meetings, to raise awareness and understanding.
Measuring Effectiveness
We will assess our effectiveness in ensuring modern slavery is not occurring in our business or supply chains by:
- Reviewing our supplier relationships annually
- Monitoring any reports or concerns raised through our whistleblowing channels
- Maintaining open dialogue with our supply chain partners.
Looking Ahead
We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to preventing modern slavery and will review this statement annually. During this financial year we will embed our commitments as set out in this statement, raise awareness in our workforce and supplier chain and remain vigilant for improvement opportunities.
Version Control
We will review our documentation regularly and we reserve the right to amend our policies and procedures at any time.