The Company will not enter into or maintain relationships with any organisation's known to be involved in human rights abuses such as child labour or modern slavery.
This policy sets out You Garden's actions to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to its business and to put in place steps that are aimed at ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in its own business and its supply chains. This statement relates to actions and activities during the financial year.
As part of the horticultural and mail order industries, we recognise that we have a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking. Our organisation is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activities, and to ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.
This policy covers the activities of You Garden Ltd ('The Company'). Note that these provisions may be amended by circumstances involving National Emergencies such as the Covid 19 Pandemic.
As a growing business, we are very aware of the issues involving Modern Slavery and how failure to monitor our suppliers in all their forms or to develop robust procedures may encourage Human Trafficking or allow it to go unnoticed.
We are committed to operating in an ethical and transparent manner and by working closely with our suppliers of goods and services, including labour, we seek to attain the highest level of ethical trading.
You Garden is a market leader in the supply of gardening products to the public via online presence, mail order catalogues, reader offers through paper media and television shows. We operate across the UK, with supply chains predominantly based within the UK and Europe and the Company has procedures to ensure due diligence is carried out on all suppliers and other third parties.
We currently operate in the following countries:
We operate the following policies and procedures that describe our approach to the identification of modern slavery risks and steps to be taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking in its operations.
Whistleblowing policy
We encourage all our workers, customers and other business partners to report any concerns related to the direct activities, or the supply chains of, our organisation. This includes any circumstances that may give rise to an enhanced risk of slavery or human trafficking. Our whistleblowing procedure is designed to make it easy for workers to make disclosures, without fear of retaliation. Employees, customers or others who have concerns can contact our HR Officer in confidence.
Employee code of conduct
Our staff handbook makes clear to employees the actions and behaviour expected of them when representing our organisation. We strive to maintain the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behaviour when operating abroad and managing our supply chain.
Recruitment Procedure
The Company uses only specified, reputable employment agencies to source agency workers and always verifies the practices of any new agency it is using before accepting workers from that agency. Audits are carried out annually in order to comply with SEDEX recommendations for Ethical Trading.
Human Rights Policy
Respect for human rights is fundamental to the sustainability of the Company and the communities in which we operate. We are committed to ensuring that people are treated with dignity and respect. The Company's Human Rights Policy is guided by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Child Labour Remediation Policy
The Company requires everyone employed by or working with us, and particularly organisations involved in the manufacture or supply of goods to us, collectively known as suppliers, to understand the steps that we take and those that they need to take to protect young workers and to ensure compliance with the United Nations International Labour Organisation's Conventions relating to child labour.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy
The Company values its reputation for ethical behaviour and integrity. Conducting business with a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of corruption is central to these values, the company's image and reputation.
The policy sets out the standards expected of all employees in relation to anti-bribery and corruption. In particular, all employees must adhere strictly to relevant laws in this area, including The Bribery Act 2010.
You Garden has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption of all kinds.
Bullying and Harassment Policy
The Company aims to create and sustain an environment in which all staff are treated with dignity and respect, individuals feel valued and safe, and in which differences are recognised and fully utilised.
The Company recognises that harassment (which for the purposes of the policy includes bullying and victimisation) is unacceptable and discriminatory, and we are committed to taking the necessary action to ensure that it does not occur, or if it does, that it is dealt with and eliminated by effective and appropriate action.
Ethical trading Initiative
In addition to our policies and procedures, we are an accredited member of SEDEX, one of the world's leading ethical trade service providers, working to improve working conditions in global supply chains.
Each year, we undertake SMETA (the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit), an audit procedure created by the Sedex membership which is a compilation of good practice in ethical audit technique. SMETA has been developed to provide guidance for both 2-Pillar and 4-Pillar audits, against a range of other labour codes based on the conventions of the International Labour Organisation.
We risk assess our suppliers through the industry relevant bodies and operate to the Ethical Trading Initiative principles, seeking to support them to achieve the required standards.
In the next financial year we are committed to undertake the following activities:-
We continually work towards raising awareness and require all staff and agency workers within our organisation to complete induction training which includes information on Modern Slavery and Ethical Trading.
In addition, we are committed to ensuring that selected employees undergo further training which covers:
As well as training our own staff and workers, we have also raised awareness of modern slavery issues to visitors, contractors and specifically delivery drivers from other businesses by putting up information posters across our premises to highlight our commitment.
The posters explain to staff:
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes You Garden's Modern Slavery Statement for the financial year ending 31st December 2021.
I, the undersigned, take responsibility for this statement and represent the Board of You Garden and confirm this will be reviewed and updated annually.
Peter McDermott
Chief Executive Officer
30th March 2021
Questions regarding this statement or requests for further information should be made to
Laurence Beeken, Head of Human Resources.
E-Mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +44 (0) 1733 259718
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