Modern Slavery Policy Statement
Overview
This is the Modern Slavery Policy Statement for Financial Year ending 30th September 2023.
Robert Price Group: Robert Price (Builders’ Merchants) Ltd, Tudors Builders Supplies (Hereford) Ltd, P. Davies & Sons Ltd & Gower Timber Ltd.
Statement
Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.
This statement is made pursuant to s.54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that Robert Price Group has taken and is continuing to take to ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking is not taking place within our business or supply chain.
The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of our business or supply chains is the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. They are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy.
This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment and we may amend it at any time.
Structure, Business & Supply Chains
Robert Price is the largest independent builders’ merchants in South East Wales and is a family-run, local business with 28 branches in the group. The Robert Price Group includes 23 Robert Price branded branches, plus our sister companies Gower Timber and 4 branches of Tudors in Hereford. Our Robert Price branded branches include 17 builders’ merchants, 3 roofing merchants, a specialist timber merchants, an insulation branch, and an agricultural division.
We are a family owned company, trading for over 175 years, specialising in supplying quality building supplies to the trade and general public. For further information please visit our website: www.robert-price.co.uk
Our Policies
We are confident that our business is free from practices covered but the 2015 Slavery and Human Trafficking Act. Our Anti-Slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains. We encourage staff to report any wrong doing. This extends to human rights violations like modern slavery.
We operate a number of internal policies to ensure that we are conducting business in an ethical and transparent manner.
Recruitment Policy
We operate a robust recruitment policy, including conducting eligibility to work in the UK checks for all employees to safeguard against human trafficking or individuals being forced to work against their will.
Reporting a Breach of Company Rules or Policies
Employees are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or supply chains. If an employee suspects any employee, regardless of their seniority, or the Company of committing a serious breach of this policy, they have a duty to report their concerns to a director and should do so without delay. The information will be treated in confidence.
Our Company Rules and Handbook
This explains the manner in which we behave as an organisation and how we expect our employees to act. The company handbook is given to staff at time of induction.
Supplier Code of Conduct
The build environment supply chain is complex. There are often many levels of suppliers between Robert Price Group and the source of raw materials that enter the manufacturing process. The enormity of the industry makes it challenging to manage every aspect of the supply chain.
Our commitment to addressing the issue of modern slavery in our business and supply chains must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.
Due Diligence
Our Modern Slavery policy statement forms part of our trading arrangements with all suppliers and they are required to confirm that no part of their business operations contradicts this policy.
As part of our trading arrangements with suppliers, we require that they demonstrate to us that:
- They have taken steps to eradicate modern slavery within their business
- Inform us of any offence committed under the Modern Slavery Act 2015
- They hold their own suppliers to account over modern slavery
- (For UK based suppliers) They pay their employees at least the national minimum wage / national living wage (as appropriate)
- (For international suppliers) They pay their employees any prevailing minimum wage applicable within their country of operations
We will terminate a supplier contract at any time should any instances of modern slavery come to light.
Communication and Awareness of this Policy
Training on this policy and the risk our business faces from modern slavery in its supply chains forms part of the induction process for all individuals who work for us and updates will be provided when necessary.
Our approach to modern slavery must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.