Truespeed’s Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
Our commitment
Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms such as slavery, servitude and compulsory labour and human trafficking. Truespeed is committed to acting ethically and preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activities, and to ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.
As part of the Telecommunications sector, we recognise that we have a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking and we continue to take our responsibility very seriously during the coronavirus pandemic.
Truespeed and its business
Truespeed is a broadband provider, serving thousands of customers. Since 2014 we’ve rolled out our network to 271 communities in the South West, provided free broadband for life to over 80 schools and community hubs and have connected thousands of happy customers to ultrafast broadband. We’ve won multiple awards and connected our first city to ultrafast broadband.
Truespeed continues to expand at pace across rural and urban communities in the South West.
Steps for the prevention of modern slavery
We operate the following policies that describe our approach to the identification of modern slavery risks and steps to be taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking in our operations.
- Anti-Slavery Policy: We share the Anti-Slavery Policy with all our team members to ensure they understand their responsibilities under the Modern Slavery Act and how to raise any concerns.
- Whistleblowing: We encourage all our team members to report any concerns related to the direct activities, or supply chains of our organisation. The Whistleblowing Policy in our Team Handbook explains how a team member can raise concerns in confidence without any fear of retaliation.
- Team Members: We explain the standards of conduct we expect of all of our team via the Team Handbook and Contracts of Employment. This explains our expectation of the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behaviour both within our business and when acting on behalf of Truespeed with contractors and suppliers.
- Recruitment: Truespeed only engages reputable recruitment companies to support its activities. Prior to engaging the services of a recruitment company, Truespeed carefully reviews the recruitment practices and terms and conditions of engagement to ensure they will uphold the same high standards Truespeed maintains for all direct recruitment.
- Supplier conduct: We are committed to ensuring that our subcontractors and suppliers adhere to the highest standards of ethics. We require suppliers to demonstrate that they provide safe working conditions and act ethically and within the law in their use of labour.
Due Diligence
We undertake due diligence when considering engaging the services of new suppliers. We also conduct periodic reviews of our existing suppliers.
These due diligence activities include:
- Mapping the supply chain broadly to determine activities with potentially higher risks of modern slavery or human trafficking
- Including modern slavery and human trafficking clauses in contractual documentation when engaging suppliers and establishing subcontractor relationships
- Evaluating the modern slavery and human trafficking risks of each new supplier
Continuous Improvement
Truespeed is committed to continual improvement and the review of current standards. This includes updating practices based on new legislation, industry guidance and best practice.
Looking ahead to 2022, Truespeed will be focused on:
- Creating new supplier guidance which will help to provide additional clarity and process to identify any potential risks regarding modern slavery and human trafficking
- Coaching and training suppliers to raise awareness of modern slavery and improve standards across all organisations with which we are engaged
- Introducing new control measures and governance as the organisation continues to grow and expand in connections and network footprint.
Training
Truespeed requires all team members to complete essential Compliance and Health & Safety training each year. We are introducing an e-Learning module on Modern Slavery.
This e-Learning covers:
- The basic principles of the modern Slavery Act 2015
- How to flag up potential slavery or human trafficking concerns to relevant people within our business without any fear of victimisation
- What external help is available including the Modern Slavery Helpline, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and the “Stronger together” initiative.
Applicable Organisations
This Modern Slavery statement applies to Truespeed Communications Limited.
The statement was approved on Thursday 15th July 2021 by Evan Wienburg, Chief Executive Officer. This statement will be reviewed and updated annually or where a change is required.
Anti-Slavery Policy
1. Introduction
- Truespeed has a zero-tolerance approach to Modern Slavery and is committed to providing a working environment and supply chain free from exploitation.
- We will act ethically and with integrity at all times in all our business dealings and relationships.
- This policy does not form part of our employment contracts and we may amend it at any time.
2. Definition of Modern Slavery
- Modern Slavery takes various forms including slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking.
- The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires that commercial organisations work to ensure that slavery is not taking place within their organisations or supply chains.
3. Responsibility for the policy
- Truespeed has overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations and that all those employed by, or engaged on behalf of, Truespeed comply with it.
- Truespeed has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, monitoring and auditing business practices and dealing with any queries or concerns related to this policy.
- Our line managers, at all levels, are responsible for ensuring those working in their teams understand their obligations and have adequate training to identify issues of modern slavery in supply chains.
4. Policy compliance
- You must ensure you have read, understand and comply with this policy at all times. If you have questions or require support please raise this with your line manager in the first instance.
- Operating with the highest ethical standards is a team effort and we must work together to prevent, detect and report Modern Slavery in any part of our business operations or supply chains.
- You must avoid any activity that might lead to, or be considered to be a breach of this policy.
- If you suspect Modern Slavery breaches in any part of our business or supply chains you must notify the relevant Company contact in accordance with our Whistle Blowing Policy without delay.
- If you are concerned or unsure about whether the treatment of labour, or working conditions in any tier of our supply chains, constitutes any of the various forms of Modern Slavery, raise your concerns with you line manager or a Company Director.
5. Communication and Training of this policy
- Our zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and reinforced at regular intervals thereafter.
- Training and policy updates will be provided via established communication channels and the e-Learning platform. This will form part of the induction process for all new members of our team.
6. How we respond to breaches of this policy
- Breaches of this policy will be dealt with in accordance with our disciplinary procedure.
- Any team member who reports a concern or who participates in good faith in any investigation must not suffer any form of retaliation or victimisation as a result. However, making a false allegation deliberately and in bad faith will be treated as misconduct and dealt with under our disciplinary procedure.
- Anyone found to have retaliated against or victimised someone linked to raising Modern Slavery concerns will be subject to disciplinary action under our disciplinary procedure.
- We may terminate our relationship with other individuals and organisations working on our behalf if they breach this policy or fail to provide sufficient evidence of their compliance with Modern Slavery Act 2015 requirements.
7. What to do if you experience detrimental treatment
- If you experience detrimental treatment connected with raising a Modern Slavery concern, you may wish to raise this with your line manager. Alternatively, you may speak to the People team who can provide advice and assistance.
- If you do not feel that informal steps are appropriate, or they have been unsuccessful, you should raise the matter formally under our grievance procedure.
- If we consider that there is sufficient evidence to suggest misconduct we will consider the appropriate action(s) to take. If the person accused is a colleague, this may include invoking our disciplinary procedure. Whether or not your complaint is upheld, we will sensitively consider how best to manage any ongoing working relationship between you and the person concerned.
8. Support services
- The Modern Slavery Helpline is available on 08000 121 700 to get help, report a suspicion or seek advice.
- The Salvation Army offer specialist support for all adult victims of modern slavery in England and Wales. Their confidential referral helpline is 0800 808 3733 available 24/7.
- Gang Masters & Labour Abuse Authority are a non-departmental public body protecting vulnerable and exploited workers in England and Wales. Their contact number to report problems is 0800 432 0804 and their general office enquiries line is 0345 602 5020.