PREVENTING HIDDEN LABOUR EXPLOITATION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT

R & J Emery commits to developing and adopting a proactive approach to tackling hidden labour exploitation. Hidden labour exploitation is exploitation of job applicants and workers by third party individuals or gangs other than the employer or labour provider including rogue individuals working within these businesses but without the knowledge of management. It includes forced labour and human trafficking for labour exploitation; payment for work-finding services and work-related exploitation such as forced use of accommodation. It is understood that it is often well hidden by the perpetrators with victims, if they perceive of themselves as such, reluctant to come forward.

This Policy covers all sites listed below:

Littlebrook Nursery

Chapelfield Nursery

Penzoy Nursery

Batchmere Nursery

Manor Nursery

Riverside + Lower bridge Farm

Alders Farm

Kings Farm

Responsibility

Rebecca Emery has overall responsibility for this policy.

Natasa Isajeva – Staff Welfare Officer, All members of management and supervision have a responsibility to understand and adhere to the policy commitments and put these into practice within their roles.

Policy Commitments

R & J Emery shall:

1. Designate Natasa Isajeva as having attended “Tackling Hidden Labour Exploitation” training to assist Rebecca Emery in the responsibility for developing and operating company procedures relevant to this issue.

2. Accept that during the recruitment process job advertising fees and agency recruitment costs are a business cost, and will not allow these to be paid by job applicants. The Company will not use any individual or organisation to source and supply workers without confirming that workers are not being charged a work finding fee.

3. Ensure that all staff responsible for directly recruiting workers are trained to be aware of issues around third-party labour exploitation and the signs to look for and have signed appropriate ‘Recruiter Compliance Principles Declaration’.

4. Ensure that labour sourcing, recruitment, and worker placement processes are under the control of trusted and competent staff members.

5. Adopt a proactive approach to reporting suspicions of hidden worker exploitation to the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and police.

6. Provide information on tackling “Hidden Labour Exploitation” to our workforce through: Workplace posters Worker leaflets Induction

7. Encourage workers to report cases of hidden third-party labour exploitation, provide the means to do so and investigate and act on reports appropriately.

8. Positively encourage and support employees and agency workers to report such exploitation which may be occurring within their communities.

9. Require labour providers and other organisations in the labour supply chain to adopt policies and procedures consistent with the above.