Modern Slavery Statement — Gardening Highgate
Gardening Highgate declares a clear and uncompromising stance against modern slavery and human trafficking in all forms. This statement sets out our zero-tolerance approach and the practical measures we apply across our Highgate garden services and gardening in Highgate supply chain. We are committed to protecting human rights, treating workers fairly and ensuring nobody in our operations or contractor network is subject to forced labour, bonded labour, or exploitative working conditions.
The board and senior management of Gardening Highgate are responsible for enforcing company policy and allocating resources to anti-slavery work. Our governance framework integrates responsible sourcing into procurement, contract terms and daily operations for all Highgate garden services. We expect all employees, sub-contractors and suppliers to comply with our standards and to report any concerns through our channels.
To strengthen compliance we undertake targeted supplier audits and risk assessments. Audits include on-site visits where feasible, documentation review, and worker interviews conducted by trained personnel. Key audit areas include:
- Verification of employment terms and absence of recruitment fees
- Working hours and wage compliance
- Freedom of movement and right to retain identity documents
Zero-Tolerance Policy and Supplier Expectations
Zero-tolerance policy: Gardening Highgate maintains a formal prohibition against any form of modern slavery. All contracts include clauses that require suppliers to adhere to our anti-slavery policy and to permit reasonable audit and corrective action. We reserve the right to terminate relationships with parties who fail to address confirmed instances of exploitation.
We publish clear supplier requirements for Highgate gardening providers, including mandatory declarations, due diligence documentation, and corrective action plans where necessary. Our procurement teams apply a risk-based approach, prioritising suppliers based on geography, labour intensity and prior performance. Highgate garden contractors must demonstrate compliance through licences, pay records and transparent recruitment practices.
Where audits find non-compliance, we deploy remediation measures that prioritise victim support, improvement plans and ongoing monitoring. Remediation may include worker rehiring with fair conditions or referral to appropriate support services, while ensuring no retaliation against those who report abuses. We document all corrective steps and follow up until satisfactory outcomes are achieved.
Reporting Channels and Employee Empowerment
Reporting channels: Gardening Highgate provides multiple safe avenues for reporting suspected modern slavery. Staff and contractors are encouraged to raise concerns internally with managers or through anonymised reporting options. We ensure reports are treated confidentially and investigated promptly, with protection against retaliation for whistleblowers.
Training and awareness are mandatory for our procurement, operations and supervisory teams working on Highgate garden services. We run regular briefings on recognising signs of exploitation, the importance of ethical recruitment and how to escalate issues. Employees have access to clear procedures and support to act when they suspect abuse.
The policy is reviewed annually and forms part of our continuous improvement programme. Each annual review evaluates audit outcomes, incident reports, supplier performance and evolving legal standards. Results of the review inform updates to our supplier audit plan, risk assessment methodology and staff training curriculum to better prevent modern slavery.
Gardening Highgate’s commitment to human rights extends across our local operations and our wider supplier ecosystem. By embedding forced labour prevention into contracts, procurement and supplier engagement, we aim to reduce risk and foster transparent, ethical working conditions across all services related to gardens in Highgate. Our approach balances verification, remediation and collaboration to create sustainable change.
We will continue to partner with stakeholders, industry peers and auditors to raise standards across the horticulture and landscape sectors. Through active monitoring, regular supplier audits and accessible reporting channels we strengthen trust in our Highgate gardening teams and ensure our policies deliver real protection for workers.
Finally, the annual review cycle ensures Gardening Highgate adapts to new risks and regulatory developments, reaffirming our zero-tolerance stance and ongoing vigilance against modern slavery in every part of our garden services, gardeners in Highgate and supply chain operations.