Modern Slavery Statement — Gardeners Chiswick

Gardeners Chiswick is committed to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in all parts of our operations and supply chains. This statement sets out our approach, reflecting the responsibilities of the Gardeners of Chiswick and the Chiswick gardeners team. We adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of forced labour, child labour or exploitation. Our commitment is embedded in our values and communicated to employees and contractors. We require clear standards, training and escalation so that every person engaged by Gardeners-Chiswick understands that exploitation will not be tolerated.

We apply a risk-based approach to our activities and procurement. Our policy requires due diligence on new suppliers and ongoing oversight of existing partners, including landscapers, temporary labour providers and material suppliers. Key measures include:

• Supplier declarations confirming compliance with anti-slavery laws;
• Contract clauses requiring adherence to our ethical standards;
• Training for staff who manage third-party relationships.

Our zero tolerance stance is enforced through contractual obligations and clear disciplinary processes. We carry out focused supplier audits and site visits to assess compliance, verify worker records and review recruitment practices. These supplier audits are tailored to risk and frequency, with high-risk suppliers prioritized for more frequent checks. If non-compliance is identified we require corrective action plans, suspend relationships where necessary and escalate serious breaches for potential contract termination. Chiswick gardeners and Gardeners in Chiswick are empowered to raise concerns through internal routes and our compliance processes ensure timely remediation.

Due Diligence, Supplier Audits and Controls

We perform periodic assessments of supply chains, mapping labour providers, subcontractors and procurement categories to identify vulnerability to modern slavery. Our supplier audits include document reviews, interviews and, where required, independent third-party inspections. Audit outcomes are recorded and monitored. We maintain a central register of audit findings and remedial actions, and we use risk scoring to determine follow-up. Gardeners of Chiswick require suppliers to adopt similar measures and to provide transparency about recruitment fees, wage payments and working conditions.

Reporting Channels and Staff Safeguards

We provide multiple reporting channels so concerns about exploitation can be raised safely and confidentially. These include anonymous internal reporting systems, line manager escalation and protected whistleblowing routes. All reports are treated seriously, investigated promptly and handled in confidence with a non-retaliation guarantee. Our procedures ensure that workers, colleagues and partners can report suspected modern slavery without fear. We emphasise accessibility and fairness, and maintain records of reports and outcomes to inform continuous improvement.

Governance and Annual Review Our Board and senior management review modern slavery risk and our anti-slavery measures at least annually. The governance framework assigns responsibility for oversight, supplier engagement and audit activity to named managers who report progress to senior leadership. Each year we produce a review of our efforts, audit results and corrective actions, and we update policy, training and due diligence processes accordingly. The Gardeners-Chiswick leadership is committed to strengthening controls where gaps are discovered and to collaborating with peers and stakeholders to drive improvements across the sector.

Commitment and Continuous Improvement Gardeners Chiswick remains vigilant in combating modern slavery. We will continue to refine our risk assessments, expand supplier audits where necessary, and ensure accessible reporting channels. Our policies are communicated to all employees and supply chain partners; training is updated annually and tailored to roles most likely to encounter risk. The statement is endorsed by senior management and serves as Gardeners in Chiswick's public commitment to ethical conduct. We will keep assessing our impact, learning from audits and cases, and enhancing our systems to protect vulnerable workers and uphold dignity in every part of our operation.