Modern Slavery Statement — Gardeners North London

Gardeners North London is committed to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in all areas of our business and supply chain. We operate a clear zero-tolerance policy towards any form of forced labour, bonded labour, human trafficking, or exploitation. This Modern Slavery Statement applies to Gardeners of North London and our contractors, sub-contractors, and suppliers who work with or for Gardeners NL.

Our commitment and scope

We set out to ensure that every gardener, contractor, and partner understands that exploitive practices will not be tolerated. The commitment extends to all operations across the borough and nearby areas where North London gardeners carry out work. Our leadership team has endorsed this policy, and we have embedded responsibilities across management to make sure compliance is monitored and enforced.

To make our approach concrete we maintain clear procedures and expectations, including:

• Zero-tolerance enforcement: immediate action and remediation where risks or instances are identified.
• Pre-engagement due diligence: checks on suppliers and labour providers before contracts are agreed.
• Transparent contractual terms: clauses that require compliance with anti-slavery laws and provide audit rights.

Gardeners of North London operates a formal supplier audit programme. Our supplier audits assess labour practices, working conditions, recruitment processes, and verification of legal right to work. Audits are conducted both on-site and via documentation reviews. Where potential issues are identified, we require corrective action plans and follow-up assessments. We prioritise suppliers who demonstrate ethical recruitment and pay practices and who share our commitment to eradication of modern slavery.

Our procurement and compliance teams perform risk-based due diligence that considers the nature of work, geographic area, and type of labour used. For roles where there is higher risk (seasonal workers, subcontracting chains, low-skilled manual labour), we apply enhanced scrutiny, including background checks, monitoring of wage payments, and verification of worker contracts.

Training and awareness are central to our prevention strategy. We provide regular training for managers, supervisors, and staff on how to spot signs of exploitation and what to do if they have concerns. By increasing awareness among North London gardeners and operational staff, we improve the likelihood of identifying and responding to suspected modern slavery early.

To support reporting and transparency we have established secure and confidential reporting channels. Workers, subcontractors and members of the public can raise concerns anonymously through internal whistleblowing routes and via designated confidential lines. Our reporting channels are designed to protect whistleblowers from retaliation and to ensure that reports are investigated promptly and impartially.

In practice, our response to reports follows a clear process: acknowledgement, initial risk assessment, investigation, remediation and, when necessary, escalation to appropriate authorities. We treat every report seriously and ensure that victims receive appropriate support, including assistance with safe housing, medical care and access to legal advice where required.

Accountability and continuous improvement underpin our approach. Each year we conduct an annual review of our anti-slavery measures, publishing outcomes internally and using results to refine our policies and procedures. The annual review evaluates audit findings, incident reports, training uptake, and supplier performance, and it sets clear objectives for the coming year to strengthen protections across our operations.