Gardener Stratford Modern Slavery Statement

Gardener Stratford affirms a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking. This Modern Slavery Statement outlines our commitments, the measures we take across our operations and supply chains, and how we expect suppliers to maintain ethical labour standards. We recognise that a robust anti-slavery stance is essential to protect workers and uphold the company's values.

Our modern slavery statement applies to all employees, contractors and third-party suppliers engaged by Gardener Stratford. We have integrated an anti-slavery policy into our procurement and contractual frameworks to set clear expectations. These terms require adherence to fair wages, lawful working hours, freedom of movement and the prohibition of forced labour, child labour or exploitative practices in any part of our supply chain.

In practical terms, we operate a programme of supplier audits and due diligence that assesses risk and compliance. Supplier audits are conducted both remotely and on-site where appropriate, focusing on recruitment practices, worker documentation, health and safety, and wage payments. Key audit activities include:

• Verification of recruitment and employment records;
• Interviews with workers and management to confirm voluntary employment;
• Evaluation of third-party labour providers and sub-contractors.

Policies, Reporting Channels and Training

Gardener Stratford maintains an anti-slavery policy that is reviewed regularly and communicated across the business. We provide training to procurement, HR and site managers to recognise indicators of modern slavery and to respond effectively. All staff are required to complete awareness modules which include practical steps to escalate concerns.

Reporting channels are a core element of our response. We operate confidential and secure mechanisms where concerns can be raised without fear of retaliation. These reporting options include internal escalation paths, anonymous reporting hotlines and an established process for recording and investigating allegations. When concerns are raised, they are treated with urgency, investigated thoroughly, and documented in accordance with our internal case management procedures.

When issues are identified, we pursue proportionate remediation that protects workers and seeks to remedy harm. Our approach includes engagement with the supplier to secure corrective action, independent verification of improvements and, where necessary, termination of contracts with non-compliant partners. We require suppliers to maintain a clear grievance mechanism for their own workforce and to cooperate with audit and remediation efforts.

Audit, Governance and Annual Review

Gardener Stratford conducts scheduled supplier audits as part of its ongoing slavery and human trafficking statement commitments. Audits are risk-based and prioritise higher-risk geographies, subcontracting layers and labour-intensive services. Findings are scored, tracked and reported to the compliance team and senior management to ensure timely corrective action.

Governance of the modern slavery policy sits with senior leadership and the compliance committee, which reviews audit outcomes, incident reports and remediation progress. We collate key performance indicators such as number of audits completed, incidents reported, follow-up actions taken and the status of remediation plans. These metrics drive continuous improvement across our procurement and compliance programmes.

This statement will be subject to an annual review to assess effectiveness and to update our processes, training and supplier controls. The review will consider new risks, emerging best practice and stakeholder expectations. Gardener Stratford remains committed to evolving its modern slavery and human rights approach and to working collaboratively with suppliers, industry peers and stakeholders to eliminate forced labour and exploitation from our operations.