Our Commitment

The Refugee Council is a charity organisation that is dedicated to supporting and advocating for refugees and asylum seekers. We recognise the prevalence of modern-day slavery and human trafficking in the world, and we are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in our relationships by taking every reasonable opportunity to prevent and eliminate these practices, including forced labour, bonded labour, human trafficking and child labour from our operations and supply chain.

This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern-Day Slavery Act 2015 and outlines our approach to ensuring that modern-day slavery does not take place within our organisation, or those we work with and that we are working towards the eradication of this crime.

Purchasing and supply chains

Risk Assessment

We will conduct a thorough risk assessment of our supply chains to identify any potential risks of modern-day slavery or human trafficking. This will include examining the labour practices of our suppliers, as well as any other factors that may contribute to modern-day slavery, such as migration patterns or economic conditions. We will also review the risk assessment on a regular basis to ensure that it remains up to date.

Supplier and Partner Selection

We will only work with reputable suppliers and partners who share our commitment to preventing modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Before selecting any supplier, we will conduct a thorough assessment of their working practices, including checking for any past instances of modern-day slavery or human trafficking. We will also ensure that all suppliers understand and comply with our policies and procedures.

Due Diligence

We will undertake due diligence on all our suppliers and partners to ensure that they are not involved in modern-day slavery practices. This includes reviewing supplier policies, carrying out site visits, and conducting audits where necessary. We also ensure that our partners and suppliers are committed to complying with this policy.

Code of Conduct

We will develop a code of conduct that clearly outlines our expectations regarding working practices, including a zero-tolerance for modern-day slavery and human trafficking. This code of conduct will be communicated to all third parties and suppliers, and we will monitor compliance regularly.

People

Recruitment

To prevent the risk of modern slavery in our recruitment process, we ensure that our job advertisements are transparent and clear about the job duties, working conditions, and remuneration. We do not use language or job descriptions that could be interpreted as exploitative, discriminatory, or misleading. We also check that all candidates have the legal right to work in the country where they will be employed, and we verify their identity documents.

Training

We provide E-learning modules on identifying and reporting potential cases of modern-day slavery for all staff, volunteers and contractors.  and make it mandatory as part of the induction for new recruits. We also require our suppliers and partners to provide similar training to their employees.

Pay

The Refugee Council is committed to ensuring that all our employees are paid fairly and in accordance with the National Joint Council (NJC) pay scales. We believe that paying our employees a fair wage is not only the right thing to do, but also an important measure in preventing modern slavery within our organisation.

We will ensure that all employees are aware of the NJC pay scales and their entitlements under these scales. We will also ensure that all employment contracts reflect the appropriate NJC pay scale for the relevant role.

People & Culture will regularly review the salaries of all employees to ensure that they are in line with the NJC pay scales and that any discrepancies are addressed promptly. We will also ensure that any promotions or salary increases are given in accordance with the NJC pay scales.

Reporting

We encourage all employees, volunteers, contractors, suppliers, and partners to report any suspected cases of modern-day slavery to the Refugee Council. We also conducted whistleblowing trainings that encourage individuals to raise any concerns they may have, including the modern slavery concerns. We take all reports seriously and will investigate them thoroughly.

Compliance

We are committed to complying with all relevant laws and regulations related to modern-day slavery. We will continue to monitor and review our policy and procedures to ensure that we meet our obligations.