Gardener Mitcham: Modern Slavery Statement

Gardener Mitcham publishes this modern slavery statement to affirm a zero-tolerance policy towards forced labour, human trafficking and all forms of exploitation. This anti-slavery statement explains how we assess and address modern slavery risks across our operations and supply chain, and sets out the commitments that guide our conduct. We recognise that a clear modern slavery policy is essential to protect workers, subcontractors and communities connected to our activities.

We operate with transparency and integrity. Our Modern Slavery Policy is embedded into our procurement and workforce practices, and all employees and contractors are required to comply. The policy emphasises worker rights, safe working conditions and fair pay. We train our staff to identify indicators of exploitation and ensure managers escalate concerns through defined reporting channels.

Gardener Mitcham enforces a zero tolerance approach: any confirmed instance of modern slavery will result in immediate action, which may include termination of contracts, pursuit of remediation for victims and collaboration with authorities. Our anti-slavery declaration is not merely aspirational; it includes concrete consequences for breaches and a commitment to continuous improvement.

To reduce risk we perform targeted supplier audits and due diligence. Suppliers undergo initial screening and risk assessment before onboarding, and higher-risk suppliers are subject to enhanced checks. Audit processes evaluate employment practices, working hours, recruitment arrangements and payment systems. Where audits identify issues, we require corrective action plans and follow-up verification.

Our supply chain compliance programme includes regular on-site inspections, third-party audits and documentation reviews. We maintain a supplier code of conduct aligned with this modern slavery statement and expect vendors to flow requirements down the chain. If a supplier fails to demonstrate improvement within an agreed timeframe, contractual relationships are reviewed and may be terminated to prevent ongoing harm.

Key elements of our supplier assurance are:

• Pre-engagement risk screening and contractual anti-slavery clauses;
• Periodic and surprise supplier audits with corrective action tracking;
• Training and capacity building for suppliers on worker rights and recruitment ethics.

We provide clear reporting channels to ensure concerns about forced labour and exploitation are raised and acted upon. Employees, contractors and third parties can report suspicions through anonymous internal hotlines, dedicated reporting forms and through management. All reports are treated seriously, assessed promptly and investigated confidentially. We actively protect whistleblowers from retaliation and provide support to any affected individuals.

Our reporting framework includes escalation procedures to senior leadership, documentation standards for incidents and collaboration with external agencies where needed. We maintain records of investigations, outcomes and remediation measures to ensure accountability and to inform risk reduction strategies. The approach reinforces our status as a company with a robust modern slavery policy and an uncompromising stance on exploitation.

Gardener Mitcham undertakes an annual review of this modern slavery statement and our wider anti-slavery programme. The review evaluates the effectiveness of supplier audits, reporting channels, training initiatives and remediation processes. Findings from the annual review inform updates to our policies, risk assessments and operational priorities. We aim to strengthen controls year-on-year and publish outcomes internally to support ongoing learning.