Modern Slavery Statement — Commercial Waste Garston

Commercial Waste Garston confirms a firm commitment to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking across our operations. This statement sets out the steps taken by our team handling commercial waste in Garston and related services to identify, prevent and remediate any risks of forced labour. We acknowledge responsibility for setting high standards of ethical behaviour and business integrity across the supply chain, and we publish this policy to make our approach transparent.

Zero-Tolerance Policy

Our approach is clear: we operate a zero-tolerance policy to any form of modern slavery. All employees, contractors and partners engaged with Commercial Waste Garston must comply with this policy. Any allegation of exploitation, coercion, withholding of wages or improper restrictions on freedom will be treated with the utmost seriousness. We commit to prompt investigation and proportionate action, which may include termination of contracts and referral to law enforcement where appropriate.

Policy Scope and Responsibilities

This statement applies to all operations providing commercial waste services in Garston and to our broader procurement activities. Senior management take responsibility for implementing and overseeing controls and ensuring that our ethical standards are communicated throughout the business. Specific duties include risk assessment, supplier engagement and training. We will maintain records of actions taken and continuously monitor performance against our anti-slavery objectives.

We require suppliers, contractors and sub-contractors to demonstrate alignment with our standards through contractual clauses and active cooperation. Our supplier due diligence includes risk-based checks, background screening and verification of labour practices. Supplier audits are central to our control framework and will be prioritised for higher risk relationships and sectors. We use both on-site and remote audit techniques to confirm compliance and to identify gaps that require corrective action.

Supplier audits and continuous monitoring: audits include document review, worker interviews and inspection of employment records. Key measures include:

• Verification of pay and working hours;
• Confirmation of right-to-work and lawful recruitment practices;
• Assessment of living conditions where employment is provided off-site.

Where audits reveal issues, we require suppliers to submit remediation plans with clear timelines. Failure to cooperate will result in contract suspension or termination. We embed anti-slavery clauses into procurement documentation and reserve the right to conduct unannounced visits to high-risk suppliers in the Garston area and beyond.

Commercial Waste Garston maintains accessible reporting channels so concerns can be raised safely and confidentially. We encourage all workers, suppliers and third parties to report suspected instances of modern slavery without fear of retaliation. Our internal whistleblowing process is supported by a clear escalation route to senior management and to an independent review panel when necessary.

Reporting channels:

• Anonymous reporting via secure internal systems;
• Direct reporting to management or compliance officers;
• Referral to external authorities where criminal activity is suspected.

All reports are logged, assessed for risk and investigated promptly. We maintain confidentiality to the extent possible and provide support to affected individuals. Protection against retaliation is a core principle and any retaliatory action is itself grounds for disciplinary measures.

Training, remediation and annual review form part of a cycle of continuous improvement. We provide targeted training for staff involved in procurement, operations and contractor supervision to ensure they can identify the signs of exploitation and understand reporting obligations. Remediation focuses on restoring rights and remedies for affected workers and on improving supplier practices to prevent recurrence.

Annual review and governance: Commercial Waste Garston publishes and reviews this modern slavery statement at least annually. The review assesses the effectiveness of policies, supplier audits, reporting mechanisms and training programmes. Findings are used to update risk assessments, strengthen contractual terms and allocate resources to high-priority areas. Senior leadership signs off the review to ensure accountability and ongoing commitment to eliminate modern slavery from our commercial waste operations and supply chain.