In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, IPE is committed to a work environment that is free from human trafficking, forced labour and unlawful child labour (collectively “human trafficking and slavery”). It also strongly believes that it has a responsibility for promoting ethical and lawful
employment practices.
Accordingly, IPE will not knowingly use unlawful child labour or forced labour in any of the products and/or services it provides, nor will it knowingly accept commodities, products and/or services from suppliers that employ or utilise child labour or forced labour.
RATIONALE
Human trafficking and slavery are crimes under UK and international law. These crimes exist in countries throughout the world. This statement thus defines IPE’s commitment to ensuring that human trafficking and slavery does not exist within its own business.
Human Trafficking: the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or
benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for exploitation.
Forced Labour: all work or service, not voluntarily performed, that is obtained from an individual under the threat of force or penalty.
Harmful Child Labour: consists of the employment of children that is economically exploitative, or is likely to be hazardous to, or interfere with, the child’s education, or to be harmful to the child’s health, or physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development.
As an SME, IPE only uses suppliers it knows well and provide products from reputable sources. Its aim is to endeavour to ensure that its supply chain
- Will not use forced or compulsory labour, i.e., any work or service that a worker performs involuntarily, under threat of penalty;
- Will ensure that the overall terms of employment are voluntary;
- Will comply with the minimum age requirements prescribed by applicable laws
- Will compensate its workers with wages and benefits that meet or exceed the legally required
minimum and will comply with overtime pay requirements; - Will abide by applicable law concerning the maximum hours of daily labour;
- Will not engage in any practice of slavery, servitude, forced labour, compulsory labour and/or human trafficking outside the UK which would constitute an offence if that conduct took place within the UK.
DUE DILIGENCE
The IPE management team is aware of the Modern Slavery Act. All Staff have been made aware of the Act and what to do if is there is a suspected case. IPE’s whistle blowing policy wording has been updated to specifically include modern slavery. These steps are designed to identify risk in our
business and supply chain, monitor the risk, reduce the chance of modern slavery occurring in the course of IPEs business while providing adequate protection for whistle blowers.
BREACH OF POLICY
Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal for gross misconduct.
The Company may terminate its commercial arrangements with suppliers, contractors, or other business partners if they breach this policy and/or are found to have been involved in Modern Slavery or cannot upon request reasonably verify the supply chain.
This constitutes IPEs Modern Slavery statement for the financial year ending 31st May 2022.