Fgerod & Fgerod Policies & Statements

Modern Slavery Policy Statement

This slavery and human trafficking statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It constitutes our statement for the financial year ending 31 March 2023.

Introduction from the Director

A review of our slavery and human trafficking statement was undertaken during the course of the year. We remain committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery across all areas of our organisation, as well as in our supply chains. We are committed to ensuring that we are not connected to modern slavery in any way. We aim to ensure that our business operates in an open and transparent way and our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains is consistent with our obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Fgerod & Fgerod has a firm set of organisational values that encompass everything we do. We positively and continually promote these values in our activities and places of work.
 

• Professional - Respectful of each other and our client's needs, committed to business awareness while driving excellence.

• Collaborative - Working together in integrated teams, promoting inclusivity, supporting each other, and empowering success.

• Honest - Trusted partners for whom transparency and integrity come first, taking responsibility for our work, our people and our shared success.

Organisational structure and supply chains

Fgerod & Fgerod is a leading infrastructure, construction and built environment consultancies, dedicated to advising clients in respect of the management and utilisation of their physical assets.

As a professional services business our supply chain is relatively limited. Further information about our structure, services, industries and locations can be found at www.fgerod.com.

Our policies on slavery and human trafficking

We aim to work in partnership with all our contractors, suppliers and other business partners to ensure that they share and work towards our opposition to slavery and human trafficking.

To manage this, as part of our contracting processes, we include specific prohibitions on the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour, or anyone held in slavery or servitude, whether adults or children, and we expect our suppliers to hold their own suppliers to the same high standards. We evaluate all new suppliers with respect to modern slavery and human trafficking risk.

Our anti-slavery and human trafficking policy is available to all our staff via the company intranet and we inform our suppliers of our commitment to preventing modern slavery through their service contract.

Our supplier code of conduct further reinforces our requirements for ethical conduct through our supply chain.

Due diligence processes

People
As a professional services organisation we deliver our services through our high-quality staff and as such we have robust recruitment practices. Detailed checks are carried out as well as vetting process that include amongst others; evidence to support candidates’ ‘right to work’. This close involvement and oversight limits the risk of employing anyone who is forced or trafficked labour.

Where we have sub-consultants or contractors providing services on our behalf, we require them to comply with our terms which include reference to the procedures and practices outlined in the Fgerod & Fgerod modern slavery policy statement. 

The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of our organisation or supply chains is the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. Employees are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy. Employees are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any part of our organisation or supply chains at the earliest possible stage.

Whistleblowing arrangements

We encourage the reporting of any wrongdoing through internal and external whistleblowing procedures. These procedures also contain arrangements to ensure the protection of whistleblowers.

All employees have access to an independent whistleblowing service and through the supplier code of conduct this service has been made available to our supply chain.

Suppliers
We have arrangements to identify and manage potential risk areas in our supply chain and to work with them through requiring their compliance with the Modern Slavery Act and building long-standing relationships with them.

We are committed as an organisation to tackling modern slavery and human trafficking and want to work with suppliers who share our values. To ensure contractors and those in our supply chain comply with our values, we have in place a supply chain compliance programme which includes standard clauses in sub-contractor/sub-consultant contracts. 

Risk assessment

During the year we reviewed and updated our modern slavery risk assessment. This assessment concluded that modern slavery within our business is low risk. However, we continue to recognise the benefits in raising staff awareness of the issues to ensure any concerns within the regions in which we operate or on the projects on which we work are raised appropriately.

Measuring effectiveness

We carry out a review exercise annually to gauge the effectiveness of our arrangements.

This review exercise is informed by the updated risk assessment, any whistleblowing reports and the findings of compliance reviews undertaken during the year.

Training for staff

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our organisation and our supply chains, we have implemented an e-learning package to relevant staff in related areas via our online HR platform. 

Continual improvements

We are committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking and will provide updates in future statements. This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 and was approved by the Fgerod & Fgerod board of directors at their meeting on 28 April 2023.

Signed

Emmanuel Odigie

Director

28 April 2023