Merton Skip Hire Modern Slavery Statement

Merton Skip Hire publishes this Modern Slavery Statement to set out our commitments and actions to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in our operations and supply chain. We recognise our responsibility to uphold human rights and are committed to maintaining an anti-slavery culture across every level of the organisation. This policy applies to all employees, contractors and business partners.

We operate a zero-tolerance policy toward forced labour, exploitation and trafficked workers. Our approach to the modern slavery policy is proactive: we identify risk, act to remediate issues and integrate anti-slavery standards into our procurement and contracting. All staff receive training on recognising signs of exploitation and the steps to take if concerns arise.

As part of this anti-slavery statement, Merton Skip Hire embeds ethical expectations into supplier contracts and tender documentation. We require our suppliers and subcontractors to comply with all applicable labour laws and to provide safe, fair working conditions. Compliance obligations include the prohibition of child labour, the right to freely chosen employment and the payment of lawful wages.

To ensure compliance we perform periodic supplier audits and risk assessments. Our supplier audit programme uses a mix of self-assessment questionnaires, documentary checks and on-site inspections where appropriate. Audits focus on recruitment practices, working hours, payroll records and employment contracts to identify possible indicators of modern slavery.

Audit outcomes are graded and inform our supplier management actions. Where concerns are identified we require remedial action plans with clear timelines. In severe cases of non-compliance we reserve the right to suspend or terminate supplier relationships. Our commitment is to remedy harm and to work collaboratively to raise standards across the waste management and skip hire supply chain.

We support robust reporting channels to encourage the safe escalation of concerns. Employees, contractors and suppliers can raise issues through internal reporting lines, anonymous whistleblowing mechanisms and designated compliance officers. Reports are treated confidentially, investigated promptly and subject to appropriate follow-up. We will protect whistleblowers from retaliation.

Key measures and expectations

Our measures include:

• Zero-tolerance policy: immediate investigations and decisive action on substantiated reports.
• Supplier audits: routine checks, corrective action plans and the right to terminate relationships for sustained non-compliance.
• Reporting channels: multiple safe ways to report concerns, including anonymous options.
• Annual review: a formal yearly evaluation of our policies, practices and performance against industry standards.

Implementation, governance and annual review

Governance of our modern slavery statement is led by senior management with oversight from our compliance team. We publish this statement to be transparent about our policies and actions. An annual review ensures policies remain current and effective, with lessons from audits and reports driving continuous improvement. Performance metrics and audit results inform changes to training, procurement terms and supplier engagement strategies.

Training and capacity building form a core part of our effort to combat modern slavery. All employees receive tailored training relevant to their role: recruitment teams learn to spot deceptive hiring practices, operations staff learn to identify exploitation in the field, and procurement staff learn to include contractual protections and verification steps. Regular refresher courses maintain awareness and competence.

We are committed to continuous engagement with suppliers, industry partners and relevant stakeholders to share good practice and strengthen anti-slavery measures across the sector. Our Merton Skip Hire anti-slavery statement is not a static document: it reflects a programme of action backed by resources, oversight and accountability.

In conclusion, this modern slavery statement represents Merton Skip Hire's ongoing commitment to ethical business practices. We maintain a clear zero-tolerance stance, carry out supplier audits, provide secure reporting channels and commit to an annual review to measure effectiveness and drive improvements in preventing modern slavery within our operations and supply network.