Modern Slavery Statement for Gardeners Kilburn

Gardeners Kilburn is committed to conducting every aspect of its work with integrity, dignity, and respect for human rights. Modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, child labour, and any form of exploitation have no place in our operations or in our supply chain. This statement sets out our zero-tolerance policy, the standards we expect from suppliers, the channels available for reporting concerns, and our commitment to an annual review of this approach.

Our Commitment and Zero-Tolerance Policy

We recognise that the risk of modern slavery can exist in many sectors, including grounds maintenance, landscaping, plant supply, transport, cleaning, and subcontracted services. For that reason, Gardeners Kilburn applies a strict policy of zero tolerance. We do not accept any practice that involves coercion, deception, debt bondage, withheld wages, identity document retention, or exploitation of vulnerable workers. Our position is clear: any proven breach of this policy may result in the immediate termination of a relationship or contract.

Supplier Standards and Due Diligence

We expect all suppliers, subcontractors, and business partners to share our commitment to ethical labour practices. Before engagement, we assess suppliers using a risk-based approach that considers geography, labour model, sector exposure, and previous compliance history. This process helps us identify areas where modern slavery risks may be higher and where extra safeguards are needed.

Supplier audits form a central part of our prevention strategy. Where appropriate, we carry out documentation checks, workforce verification, and site-based audits to confirm that workers are treated fairly and paid properly. We also review policies relating to recruitment, working hours, age verification, right-to-work checks, and grievance handling. If concerns arise, we ask suppliers to provide corrective action plans and evidence of improvement. Refusal to cooperate, or repeated failure to meet our standards, is treated as a serious matter.

Reporting Channels and Safeguarding Concerns

Gardeners Kilburn encourages everyone connected with our business to report concerns as early as possible. Any suspicion of exploitation, unsafe recruitment practices, or abuse of worker rights should be raised through our internal reporting channels. Concerns may be reported to line managers, designated safeguarding leads, or senior management, depending on the nature of the issue. Reports are handled sensitively and, where possible, confidentially. No one who raises a genuine concern in good faith will face retaliation.

Training, Awareness, and Responsibility

We provide relevant staff with awareness training so they can recognise warning signs and respond appropriately. This includes indicators such as restricted movement, poor living conditions, unusual dependency on a third party, unexplained deductions, or workers appearing fearful. Managers are expected to act promptly, document concerns, and escalate them where necessary. Responsibility for preventing modern slavery is shared across the business, but leadership sets the tone by embedding ethical behaviour into everyday decision-making.

Our procurement practices are designed to reduce the risk of abuse. We seek long-term relationships with reputable partners, avoid unnecessary intermediaries, and favour transparent labour arrangements. We also review subcontracting chains where applicable, because risks can increase when work is passed through multiple layers. Where issues are identified, we work to address them constructively, but our zero-tolerance policy means we will not continue any relationship where exploitation is suspected and unresolved.

Annual review is an essential part of this statement. Gardeners Kilburn will review its modern slavery controls at least once every year to ensure they remain effective, proportionate, and aligned with current risk. The review considers supplier audit findings, reported concerns, training activity, and any changes in law or industry practice. Findings from the review are used to strengthen our procedures, improve accountability, and reinforce our commitment to ethical operations.

Through these measures, Gardeners Kilburn aims to protect workers, uphold human dignity, and maintain a responsible supply chain. This statement reflects our ongoing commitment to vigilance, improvement, and clear accountability in everything we do.