Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
Introduction
Icefresh Foods Ltd (“the Company”) are committed to improving our business practices and supply chain to ensure that we trade ethically, source responsibly and work to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking throughout our organisation.
We take a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery, both across our business and within our supply chains.
This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which requires companies with a turnover over £36m to publish an annual slavery and human trafficking statement. It sets out the steps taken and progress made by the Company to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in its business and supply chain.
What is Modern Slavery?
In this statement, where we say “modern slavery” we are referring to the illegal exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain, and it can include sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced labour, criminal exploitation, human trafficking and organ harvesting.
Organisation's structure
We are a wholesaler of frozen and chilled food in the United Kingdom. We are a part of the Poppies International Group, a global frozen and ambient bakery business, and our ultimate parent company is N.V. Poppies International. N.V. Poppies International has its head office in Belgium and employs more than 1,000 staff globally.
Our supply chains
Our supplier approval process incorporates a review of controls undertaken by that supplier to ensure that there is no evidence of slavery or human trafficking. The Company will not support or deal with any business which does not pass these reviews.
Our policies on slavery and human trafficking
We have appropriate policies in place that underpin our commitment to ensure that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. We continuously review and update all our policies.
Our Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains.
Due diligence processes for slavery and human trafficking
In relation to all of our supply chains, we ensure that the parties we are contracting with are aware of our commitments to reducing the risk of modern slavery taking place.
We do this in a number of ways, including requiring suppliers to agree to our supplier terms and conditions or by adding our anti-modern slavery requirements into their terms and conditions.
We also speak to companies in our supply chains regularly about their processes and how they source labour and materials, as well as asking them to see their anti-modern slavery commitments.
We also have in place systems to:
- Identify and assess potential risk areas in our supply chains.
- Mitigate the risk of slavery and human trafficking occurring in our supply chains.
- Monitor potential risk areas in our supply chains.
- Protect whistle blowers.
Supplier adherence to our values and ethics
We have a compliance team, which consists of members from the Company’s Leadership Team (covering finance, sales, supply chain and technical.
Training
To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we will provide or procure training to all relevant staff. We may also work with external organisations to arrange speakers and external training to the full staffing cohort.
Further steps
We continue to review our suppliers and their practices to mitigate the risk of modern slavery within our business and supply chains, which includes (but is not limited to) visits to our overseas suppliers.
Suppliers deemed to be highest risk will be asked to complete an assessment to quality assure the commitments given by these suppliers. The data received will be analysed and will guide our risk management actions going forward.
We are also highlighting the risks of modern slavery as part of our induction process and reviewing our in-house training provision, to ensure that we can deliver targeted and relevant training to staff on a regular basis.
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement. It was approved by the board on 1st May 2024.
Mike Victor-Smith
Managing Director
Icefresh Foods Limited
Date: 1/5/24