Modern Slavery Statement 2019-2020

In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and the Chief Constable recognise their responsibility as an employer to be aware of the potential for instances of modern slavery and to report such instances or concerns to the relevant bodies.

What is Modern Slavery?

Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, sexual exploitation, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and the Chief Constable are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in the force supply chains or in any part of the business. The force’s policies and procedures demonstrate our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business relationships.

In 2017, the Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables for the four police forces in Wales signed up to the Welsh Government Ethical Employment in Supply Chains Code of Practice. South Wales Police is fully committed to address unethical and illegal employment practices in supply chains and has produced an Action Plan in relation to the commitments within the Code

The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales Police and the Chief Constable will implement the Code across the business by focusing on four areas:

• Enforcement – improving Intelligence gathering through compliance with the Code of Practice
• Ethical Procurement – promoting the development of ethical supply chains in the delivery of contracts for the police service in Wales
• Employment – All Wales working to a common policy with buy-in across the organisations impacting mainstream and day to day business
• Environment – The public in Wales is not a bystander and reports exploitation in all its forms

The Collaborative Procurement Strategy 2015-2020 includes an increased focus on the delivery of social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being through the way the force manages its procurement activity.

Where appropriate, the Force will seek assurances from suppliers and potential suppliers through its tendering processes, that they have no knowledge of any of the above forms of modern slavery within their organisations or supply chains. The Force will expect that those suppliers take responsibility to seek similar assurances from their own supply chains.

The National Police Procurement Executive has agreed to set up a national group, chaired by the Southern Wales forces’ Strategic Procurement Lead, to share best practice across the police sector and to create a national plan to examine high risk supply chains across the police service.

Training

Strategic Procurement staff have successfully completed the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) ‘Ethical Procurement and Supply’ online training and refresh this annually. In addition, all staff will be required to watch the Welsh Government video about the Code. Staff involved in procurement and/or recruitment will undertake relevant training via the Welsh Government/NHS e-learning module.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and the Chief Constable apply the Living Wage Foundation living wage and the Welsh forces have agreed to develop an All Wales Whistle Blowing Policy with specific reference to the Code of Practice.

Our Objectives for 2019-2020 are captured in the Action Plan

The public and staff, equally, have a responsibility to be aware of potential instances of modern slavery or of a business using forced labour. If you have any such concerns, please contact any of the following bodies:-

• South Wales Police: Telephone 101 (or 999 in an Emergency)
• Modern Slavery Helpline: Telephone 0800 0121700
• Crimestoppers: Telephone 0800 555 111
• Confidential Concerns Line (South Wales Police internal only)
• Download the Unseen App for free

This Statement has been approved by the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and the Chief Constable. It will be reviewed and updated annually.