P133-2 UK Modern Slavery Act Statement 23_24.pdf
UK Modern Slavery Act Statement Financial Year 2023/24
This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and covers our financial year to 30/06/2024. It details the steps that Food Forensics has taken and will implement on an ongoing basis to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking within our business and supply chains. It aims to ensure compliance with UK Modern Slavery Act 2015
Organisation structure and supply chains
Food Forensics was formed in 2011 because of an identified need to protect both consumers as well as genuine producers and processors from fraudulent labelling within the Food & Drink sector. Our laboratory is situated in the UK in Norwich and was ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation in 2014 for its Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry and in 2015 added accredited DNA speciation testing to its portfolio. In 2018, speciation by Next Generation Sequencing was added to the accreditation schedule, and in 2019 the laboratory was awarded ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation. We are UKAS accredited for our key laboratory operations (please check our accreditation schedule for full details).
We employ 26 members of staff, all on full and part-time contracts, honouring EU minimum wage and working time directives.
We have core Tier 1 suppliers of goods and services such as IT, utilities and inputs, and partners who provide outsourced services utilised by Food Forensics and our clients, in the main complementary businesses in the food scientific sector.
We are committed to upholding human rights and preventing all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking within our operations and supply chains. Food Forensics recognises the importance of ethical business practices, and we firmly oppose any exploitation of individuals for labour or any other purpose. We have implemented policies, due diligence processes, and training programs to identify, prevent, and address modern slavery risks. We work collaboratively with our suppliers and partners to ensure that they adhere to similar ethical standards. Through these efforts, we aim to contribute to the eradication of modern slavery and promote fair and ethical practices throughout our sphere of influence.
Policies in relation to slavery and human trafficking
Food Forensics supports the basic and fundamental human rights of all individuals and does not condone any form of modern slavery, human trafficking or exploitation within its business and supply chains. We adopt a zero-tolerance policy to any human rights abuses and will take appropriate action to ensure our employees understand and adhere to this policy.
We are therefore committed to tackling modern slavery and forced labour through a continuous improvement approach.
We have adopted the core 9 principles of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code (https://www.ethicaltrade.org/eti-base-code) and the 11 Fundamental Conventions and 4 Governance (priority) Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) (https://www.ilo.org/global/standards/introduction-to-international-labour-standards/conventions-and-recommendations/lang--en/index.htm) to ensure due diligence is applied throughout our business to identify, manage and mitigate the risk of modern slavery in our own organisation and those of our suppliers and sub-contractors.
Due diligence processes
For this financial year we have appointed our first ‘Social Compliance Officer’ at Director level within the business (Alison Johnson).
We have our own Ethical Trading Policy and a Supplier and Partner Code of Practice. This is supported by an initial Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), which requires robust evidence against our core standards and those set out in the ETI and ILO Base Codes. This is monitored throughout the year. Any Suppliers or Partners recorded as ‘high risk’ through the SAQ process may have an unannounced audit.
In addition, we will hold on file and scrutinise all suppliers of goods and services to Food Forensics that are required to publish a Modern Slavery Act 2015 Statement, i.e. all those above the current threshold of £36m in turnover with operating Head Offices within the UK.
Risk assessment and management
Recognising that the risk of modern slavery is always present we will ensure that we review our internal strategic and operational approach at least annually.
Our initial risk assessments of our core Tier 1 supplier and partner base concluded that our exposure to issues around Modern Slavery are relatively low. However, we recognise that our role is to safeguard against exposure to this issue and play our part in its eradication.
Any Suppliers or Partners without a statement are classified as ‘At Risk’, and we work with these businesses to develop their policies and statements.
We also recognise that risks can be ‘hidden’ in our supply chains and we commit to working on a program to map those we work with both across and down our supply chains.
Where instances of modern slavery are uncovered, we will work to remediate effectively and ensure any workers are appropriately safeguarded and protected.
Section 54 Transparency in Supply Chains
We understand that the risks of Modern Slavery are just as heightened beyond our Tier 1 supply base, and as such we have partnered with a leading software provider who will grant access to their supply chain mapping toolkit for identified “at risk” suppliers to Food Forensics, for them to attempt to map their supply chains.
The results of these efforts will be reported in next year’s Modern Slavery Act statement, FY23/24.
Key performance indicators to measure effectiveness of steps being taken.
We commit to tracking and maintain progress against the following key criteria:
Significant Tier 1 suppliers MSA Statements Tracked and Scrutinised
Supply Chain Maps instigated for ‘At-Risk’ Suppliers
All staff trained to build capacity and spot the signs of Modern Slavery
Training on modern slavery and trafficking
We are committed to training and raising awareness of our people and those who work for us so that we can better spot the signs of modern slavery and forced labour. Our Lead Technical Advisor has been working with leading NGO Unseen UK (https://www.unseenuk.org/) to provide refresher training for all staff before the end of our financial year (30/06/2024).
This training will enable our employees to better understand and recognise modern slavery risks that might occur within our business and supply chains and informs them of the appropriate actions if such issues are discovered. We will also be providing an impartial whistle-blowing facility. Completion of these front line remediations will be monitored by our Human Resources officer.
The welfare of our people is paramount, and we are committed to ensuring our policies, practices and procedures reflect this and all appropriate employment regulations and legislation are fully adhered to.
Board approval
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Act, has been approved by the Board of Directors of Food Forensics and will be updated annually in line with the Modern Slavery Act’s reporting requirements.
Alison Johnson
Managing Director
Food Forensics Ltd
