Great Gardeners Modern Slavery Statement

Great Gardeners publishes this Modern Slavery Statement to affirm our enduring commitment to preventing forced labour, human trafficking and exploitation across our operations. Our modern slavery statement explains the measures we take, the standards we require of suppliers, and the ways we monitor performance. We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of modern slavery and exploitation in our value chain, and we will act decisively if concerns are identified.

As part of our slavery and human trafficking statement, we set out clear roles and responsibilities for colleagues at all levels. Senior leadership endorses the anti-slavery approach and ensures resources are allocated for due diligence, training and remediation. Great Gardeners' expectations are embedded in our procurement principles and communicated as part of supplier onboarding, contract clauses and ongoing partnership reviews.

The scope of this modern slavery policy covers our direct operations, seasonal workforce and the broad supplier network that supports our horticultural and landscaping activities. We assess risk factors by product type, geography and labour sourcing practices. Where higher risks are identified we apply enhanced checks, contractual safeguards and targeted audits to reduce the likelihood of exploitation.

Supplier Audits and Due Diligence

We operate a structured supplier audit program that combines remote assessments with on-site verification for higher-risk suppliers. Our supplier audits evaluate working hours, wage practices, recruitment fees, accommodation and subcontracting arrangements. Key elements of our auditing approach include:

• document review and worker interviews to confirm lawful employment;
• verification of payment records and recruitment processes;
• assessment of grievance mechanisms and worker voice channels.

Reporting channels are central to our detection and response strategy. Great Gardeners provides multiple, confidential ways for workers, suppliers and third parties to raise concerns. These include anonymous reporting routes, a secure internal hotline and escalation to our compliance team. We encourage early reporting and guarantee protection against retaliation. Reports are logged, triaged and investigated with urgency, and we apply proportionate corrective actions where issues are substantiated.

Our procurement teams use audit findings to inform supplier risk ratings, corrective action plans and, where necessary, contract termination. Training is provided to sourcing staff on modern slavery indicators and remedial options. We require suppliers to confirm adherence to our code of conduct and to permit periodic inspections as a condition of ongoing engagement.

Enforcement, Annual Review and Continuous Improvement

Great Gardeners enforces a zero-tolerance policy through clear contractual remedies and compliance obligations. When non-compliance is identified we pursue remediation with the affected workers first, ensuring safe outcomes and fair compensation where appropriate. We may suspend orders, require verified corrective action plans or terminate relationships for persistent breaches.

Each year we conduct an annual review of this anti-slavery statement and our practices, assessing effectiveness against measurable KPIs such as audit coverage, remediation rates and training completion. The annual review evaluates policy alignment with evolving legislation and international standards and results in a published update that records progress and next steps.

In conclusion, Great Gardeners' anti-slavery commitment is integrated into our purchase-to-pay processes, supplier selection and corporate governance. We maintain robust reporting channels, proactive supplier audits, and regular policy reviews to prevent modern slavery in all forms. Through continual improvement, collaboration and transparency we strive to uphold the dignity and rights of everyone connected to our business.