Anti-Slavery Policy
Statement of Intent
In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, Highway Workforce 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, Highway Workforce will not knowingly use unlawful child labour or forced labour in any of the services it provides, nor will it accept commodities, products and/or services from suppliers that employ or utilise child labour or forced labour.
Core Policy
Human trafficking and slavery are crimes under UK and international law. These crimes exist in countries throughout the world. This policy thus defines Highway Workforce’s commitment to ensuring that human trafficking and slavery does not exist within its own business, but also provides how Highway Workforce will make efforts to eradicate the same from other businesses with whom it shall maintain a relationship (and especially from within its supply chain).
Definitions
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 the purpose of 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.
Requirements for Suppliers
Will not use forced or compulsory labour, for example 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
Will ensure that any sub-contractors or suppliers from whom they source goods and/or services for incorporation in those supplied to Highway Workforce, also adhere to these requirements.