Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy

1. Purpose

Same Day Courier 247 Ltd is committed to acting ethically and taking reasonable steps to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking within its business and supply chain.

The Company does not tolerate forced labour, servitude, human trafficking, child labour, debt bondage or other forms of labour exploitation.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all directors, employees, workers, drivers, owner-drivers, agencies, subcontractors, suppliers and other persons providing goods or services to the Company.

3. Our commitments

The Company will, so far as proportionate to its size and operations:

• Comply with applicable employment, labour and modern-slavery laws.
• Engage workers and subcontractors on clear and lawful terms.
• Carry out reasonable checks on new subcontractors and labour providers.
• Avoid working with organisations known or reasonably suspected to be involved in exploitation.
• Take concerns and allegations seriously.
• Cooperate with lawful investigations.
• Review areas of increased risk within its transport and subcontractor network.

4. Prohibited practices

The Company will not knowingly permit:

• Forced, bonded or compulsory labour.
• Human trafficking or servitude.
• Workers being charged improper recruitment fees.
• Unlawful withholding of wages.
• Confiscation or improper retention of identity documents.
• Threats, violence, coercion or intimidation.
• Workers being prevented from leaving employment subject to lawful notice requirements.
• Unlawful child labour.
• The use of subcontracting arrangements to conceal exploitation.

5. Suppliers and subcontractors

The Company expects its suppliers, employment agencies, drivers and subcontractors to maintain equivalent standards.

Where appropriate, the Company may:

• Request information about employment and recruitment practices.
• Verify business, identity, insurance or right-to-work documentation.
• Require compliance with this policy through contractual terms.
• Investigate credible concerns.
• Suspend or terminate a relationship where serious non-compliance is identified.

Welfare of affected workers

The Company will consider the welfare of any affected worker when deciding how to respond to suspected exploitation.

6. Warning signs

Potential warning signs may include:

• Workers appearing frightened, controlled or unable to speak freely.
• Another person holding a worker's identity documents.
• Unexplained deductions or non-payment of wages.
• Workers being transported or housed in unsafe or overcrowded conditions.
• Indications that a worker cannot freely leave their employment.
• Inconsistent information about who employs or pays a worker.

7. Reporting concerns

Concerns should be reported promptly to a director or the Compliance Contact.

Where there is an immediate danger or suspected criminal offence, the matter should also be reported to the police or another appropriate authority.

No person will be penalised for raising a genuine concern in good faith.

8. Statutory statement

This document is a Company policy and is not, by itself, a statutory annual modern-slavery statement.

The Company will review annually whether it meets the legal criteria for publishing a separate statement under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Where the criteria are met, the Company will prepare, approve and publish the required annual statement.

9. Breaches and review

Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action or termination of a supplier or subcontractor relationship.

The policy will be reviewed at least annually.

Approval

This policy was approved on behalf of Same Day Courier 247 Ltd.