Gardening Camden Modern Slavery Statement

Gardening Camden's Modern Slavery Statement sets out our commitment to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in all areas of our work. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward forced labour, child labour and any form of exploitation. This anti-slavery statement explains how our staff, trustees and suppliers must act to uphold human rights and the dignity of every person involved in our projects.

We adopt a clear anti-slavery policy and expect everyone in our supply chain to comply with the highest ethical standards. Our slavery and human trafficking statement applies to all operations and procurement activities, and we require new and existing partners to accept contractual clauses that prohibit exploitative practices. Gardening Camden will not tolerate modern slavery in any form.

This modern slavery policy is part of our broader safeguarding and compliance framework and informs board-level oversight, staff training and everyday decision-making. We monitor legal and regulatory developments related to the modern slavery statement and align our approach with best practice in the sector.

Supplier Audits and Due Diligence

Gardening Camden conducts risk-based supplier audits and due diligence to identify, assess and mitigate modern slavery risks in our supply chain. Our approach includes:

• pre-contract checks and declarations from suppliers;
• periodic on-site or remote audits for higher-risk providers;
• contractual requirements for remediation where issues are found.

We prioritise suppliers by risk and geography, applying targeted reviews to areas with elevated exposure to exploitative labour practices. Audit outcomes inform procurement decisions, corrective action plans and, where necessary, contract termination. Our purchasing teams receive guidance to embed anti-slavery clauses into tender processes and supplier agreements.

To strengthen accountability we require evidence of worker rights protections, documented pay practices and transparent recruitment chains. Supplier assessments are recorded centrally and used to inform continuous improvement across our operations.

Reporting Channels, Training and Annual Review

We maintain multiple, confidential reporting channels so staff, volunteers and third parties can raise concerns about suspected modern slavery safely and without fear of retaliation. Reports are treated seriously, investigated promptly and escalated to senior leadership when necessary. Our whistleblowing processes are supported by clear policies and a commitment to protection for reporters.

Training is provided to procurement staff, project managers and volunteer coordinators to recognise signs of exploitation and to respond effectively. We embed awareness of the modern slavery statement and anti-slavery obligations into induction and refresher programmes. Emphasis is placed on recognising coerced labour, abusive recruitment and restrictions on movement.

Gardening Camden commits to an annual review of this slavery statement and associated controls. The board reviews progress each year, including audit findings, remediation cases and the effectiveness of reporting channels. Where gaps are identified, we update policy, increase supplier scrutiny and enhance training to ensure continuous improvement. This slavery statement will be published and reviewed at least annually as part of our governance cycle.

Our collective aim is to make the modern slavery statement operationally meaningful within Gardening Camden: preventing harm, protecting people and ensuring that our community gardening projects are free from exploitation. We will continue to work with partners, suppliers and relevant authorities to uphold these standards and to strengthen our response to any incidents of forced labour or trafficking.

All staff and contractors are expected to familiarise themselves with this anti-slavery policy and to report concerns. The senior leadership team will ensure resources are allocated to sustain supplier audits, training and remediation activities so that our zero-tolerance position remains effective in practice.

The board and executive will publish the results of the annual review of this modern slavery statement internally and record action plans for identified risks. We are committed to transparency, accountability and the continuous strengthening of measures to prevent modern slavery across Gardening Camden.