RCT Modern Slavery Statement
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is committed to addressing Modern Slavery and has a zero tolerance threshold to it occurring within its supplychain.
What it is Modern Slavery?
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.
Modern Slavery is estimated to affect fifty million people worldwide, including the UK and Wales. Victims are trafficked all over the world for little or no money, including to and within the UK. They can be forced to work in the sex trade, domestic servitude, forced labour and engage in criminal activity. High-risk sectors for Modern Slavery include agriculture, leisure, hospitality, catering, cleaning, clothing, construction and manufacturing.
Our Commitment & Responsibility
In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the Council recognises that it has a responsibility as an employer to be aware of the potential for instances of modern slavery and to report such instances or concerns to the relevant bodies.
Where appropriate, the Council will, as part of its tendering and contracting processes seek assurances from potential suppliers that they have suitable and robust processes in place to mitigate risks associated with modern slavery within their organisation. The Council will expect that suppliers take responsibility to seek similar assurances from their own supply chains.
Key strategies and policies that support this Modern Slavery statement include:
- Socially Responsible Procurement Policy
- Whistleblowing Policy
- Corporate Safeguarding Policy
By deploying the Welsh Government Code of Practice (Ethical Employment in Supply Chains) across its supply chain, the Council will ensure that its suppliers are aware of the commitment to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking.
In accordance with Commitment 7 of the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice (Ethical Employment in Supply Chains), the Council will assess our expenditure to identify and address issues of modern slavery, human rights abuses, and unethical employment practice. We will:
- Carry out regular reviews of expenditure and undertake a risk assessment on the findings, to identify products and/or services where there is a risk of modern slavery and/or illegal or unethical employment practices within the UK and overseas.
- Investigate any supplier identified as high risk, by direct engagement with workers wherever possible.
- Work with our suppliers to rectify any issues of illegal or unethical employment practice.
- Monitor the employment practices of our high-risk suppliers, making this a standard agenda item for all contract management meetings/reviews.