Modern slavery is a hidden crisis across the globe but with increased awareness of the issue and governments and companies taking proactive steps, the risk can be reduced significantly. The construction industry is one of the places where forced labour, debt bondage, and human trafficking could occur because there are complex supply chains where detection of modern slavery could be difficult.
Recruitment companies play a critical role in preventing these abuses. By conducting rigorous checks and ensuring ethical recruitment practices, they can help identify and combat modern slavery. At CarmichaelUK, we have Modern Slavery Champions in all operational areas of the business who have been trained by Stronger2Gether and who promote awareness across the rest of the organisation.
Two of our Modern Slavery Champions, Jennie Gallagher and Aidan Herbert, recently delivered a due diligence presentation at the Supply Chain Sustainability School Modern Slavery Conference in Birmingham. The presentation outlined the steps that we take during our search and selection process to help to mitigate the risk of modern slavery in our industry. Some of the steps we use are outlined below:-
Rigorous Resourcing: All CarmichaelUK resourcing and recruitment personnel understand how to spot the signs of modern slavery and are trained to ask questions aimed at ensuring that the person we are speaking is not subject to exploitation by criminals.
Transparent Onboarding: In addition to the usual legislative RTW and onboarding compliance checks, all CarmichaelUK onboarding personnel are trained to ask specific questions aimed at confirming that the individual being onboarded has not been tricked, coerced or forced and can control their own actions and destiny.
Ethical Employment: All recruitment policies, processes and procedures are designed to be moral, ethical and transparent, and are applied fairly across the workforce. This further mitigates the risk of modern slavery as all employees are treated as individuals and receive appropriate and ongoing candidate care during the course of their employment with CarmichaelUK.
Training & Awareness: All staff and employees are provided with education about modern slavery and what it is as well as continual training to know how to spot the signs associated with it in order to help prevent it.
Worker Support Systems: Employees are provided with access to support channels for reporting concerns which can be followed up through the appropriate channels.
Through transparency, accountability,responsibility and by working collaboratively, CarmichaelUK, its staff, employees, clients and suppliers can protect workers' rights and help to end exploitation in the construction industry.
If you suspect modern slavery is present, you should report it to the Modern Slavery Helpline:-
Modern Slavery Helpline: 08000 121 700
Police: 101 or in an emergency always call 999.
Report online: https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/report
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