Gardeners St. John's Wood Modern Slavery Statement
This Modern Slavery Statement sets out the steps taken by Gardeners St. John's Wood to prevent modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, and exploitation within our own operations and throughout our supply chains. We recognise our responsibility to uphold and promote human rights in every area of our business and to work only with partners who share this commitment.
Our Zero-Tolerance Approach
Gardeners St. John's Wood adopts a strict zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking. We do not tolerate the use of forced, bonded, or involuntary labour in any part of our business or supply chain. This position is communicated clearly to our employees, contractors, and suppliers, and is reflected in our internal policies and procedures.
We expect everyone who works with or for Gardeners St. John's Wood to comply with applicable labour, employment, and human rights legislation. Any breach or suspected breach of our modern slavery standards is treated with utmost seriousness and may result in termination of contracts or other appropriate actions.
Our Supply Chain and Supplier Standards
Our supply chain includes providers of horticultural products, gardening equipment, maintenance materials, transport, and associated services. We understand that modern slavery risks can occur at different tiers of the supply chain, including production, processing, and distribution.
We seek to work with reputable suppliers who demonstrate transparency and a clear commitment to ethical conduct. Our supplier expectations are set out in our supplier standards, which require suppliers to prohibit forced labour, child labour that is not in line with international standards, human trafficking, and any form of exploitation, discrimination, or abuse in the workplace.
Supplier Audits and Due Diligence
To support our zero-tolerance approach, Gardeners St. John's Wood undertakes proportionate due diligence on suppliers based on the nature of the goods and services provided and the geographic location of their operations. This may include requesting information on labour practices, verifying compliance with relevant legislation, and reviewing any existing modern slavery or human rights policies.
Where appropriate, we conduct supplier audits, which may be announced or unannounced, to assess working conditions, employment practices, and compliance with our standards. If concerns are identified during audits or through other channels, we expect suppliers to implement corrective action plans within a clearly defined timeframe. Continued non-compliance or unwillingness to address concerns may result in the ending of the business relationship.
Reporting Concerns and Whistleblowing
Gardeners St. John's Wood encourages the reporting of any concerns or suspicions of modern slavery, human trafficking, or unethical labour practices, whether those concerns relate to our own operations or to any part of our supply chain.
Employees, workers, and third parties are encouraged to raise concerns directly with management or through established internal reporting procedures. Reports may be made confidentially and will be treated sensitively. We do not tolerate victimisation or retaliation against anyone who raises a concern in good faith, and we will investigate all reports thoroughly and fairly.
Training and Awareness
We are committed to maintaining awareness of modern slavery risks among our team members. Key staff involved in procurement, supplier management, and operational oversight receive guidance so that they can recognise potential indicators of exploitation and respond appropriately.
We aim to foster a culture in which ethical considerations are central to commercial decisions. This includes encouraging open discussion about potential risks and continuously improving our approach to identifying and mitigating modern slavery within our business activities.
Monitoring, Review, and Continuous Improvement
Gardeners St. John's Wood recognises that combating modern slavery is an ongoing responsibility. We regularly review our policies, due diligence processes, and supplier engagement to ensure that they remain effective and reflect current best practice and legal requirements.
This Modern Slavery Statement is reviewed annually by our management team. As part of each annual review, we evaluate the effectiveness of our actions, consider feedback from employees and stakeholders, and identify areas for further improvement. Updated versions of this statement are approved at senior level and communicated within the organisation and to relevant external partners.
By publishing this Modern Slavery Statement, Gardeners St. John's Wood reaffirms its commitment to operating with integrity, protecting the rights and dignity of workers, and promoting ethical conduct across all aspects of our business and supply chains.
