Modern Day Slavery

This statement is made pursuant to s.54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that Design Services (NW) LTD has taken and is continuing to take to ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking is not taking place within our business or supply chain.

Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour. Design Services (NW) LTD has a zero tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and to putting effective systems and controls in place to safeguard against any form of modern slavery taking place within the business or our supply chain.

We expect the same high standards from all of our contractors, suppliers and other business partners, and as part of our contracting processes, we include specific prohibitions against the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour, or anyone held in slavery or servitude.

This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity.

Our business

Design Services (NW) LTD is a specialist technical recruitment business, based in the North West of England. Specialising in engineering, electrical & mechanical engineering, technical, instrumentation, CAD, quality assurance, administration, sales, marketing and professional placements throughout the UK and overseas.

Responsibility for the policy

Design Services (NW) LTD has overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that all those under our control comply with it.

The Company Director has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, monitoring its use and effectiveness, dealing with any queries about it, and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering modern slavery.

Compliance with the policy

You must ensure that you read, understand and comply with this policy.

The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of our business or supply chains is the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. You are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy.

You must notify a company director as soon as possible if you believe or suspect that a conflict with this policy has occurred, or may occur in the future.

You are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or supply chains of any supplier tier at the earliest possible stage.

If you believe or suspect a breach of this policy has occurred or that it may occur you must notify the company director or report it in accordance with our Whistleblowing Policy as soon as possible.

If you are unsure about whether a particular act, the treatment of workers more generally, or their working conditions within any tier of our supply chains constitutes any of the various forms of modern slavery, raise it with the company director

We aim to encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. We are committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of reporting in good faith their suspicion that modern slavery of whatever form is or may be taking place in any part of our own business or in any of our supply chains. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action, threats or other unfavourable treatment connected with raising a concern. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you should inform the company director immediately. If the matter is not remedied, and you are an employee, you should raise it formally using our Grievance Procedure.

Our suppliers/clients

Design Services (NW) LTD operates a supplier/client policy .We conduct due diligence on all suppliers/clients before working together.  This due diligence includes an online search to ensure that particular organisation has never been convicted of offenses relating to modern slavery.  Our anti-slavery policy forms part of our contract with all suppliers/clients and they are required to confirm that no part of their business operations contradicts this policy.

In addition to the above, as part of our contract with suppliers/clients, we require that they confirm to us that:

• They have taken steps to eradicate modern slavery within their business
• They hold their own suppliers to account over modern slavery
• They pay their employees at least the national minimum wage / national living wage (as appropriate)
• We may terminate the contract at any time should any instances of modern slavery come to light

Training

We regularly conduct training for our team so that they understand the signs of modern slavery and what to do if they suspect that it is taking place within our supply chain.

Our performance indicators

We will know the effectiveness of the steps that we are taking to ensure that slavery and/or human trafficking is not taking place within our business or supply chain if:

• No reports are received from employees, the public, or law enforcement agencies to indicate that modern slavery practices have been identified.