Modern Slavery Statement

1. Policy Statement

Colpac (the “Company”) is committed to promoting, maintaining and driving forward high ethical standards in all our business activities.

Social risks are inherent to global supply chains, particularly when using natural resources. Colpac is aware of the pervasive threat of modern slavery in global supply chains today, as well as other risks that pose a threat to individuals’ human rights including child labour, welfare and safety, land rights, and environmental degradation. To address the risk of modern slavery, the Company will not enter into any business arrangement with any person, company or organisation which fails to uphold the human rights of its workers or who breach the human rights of those affected by the organisation’s activities.

The Company acknowledges the importance of addressing modern slavery risks within our operations and supply chain. The Company seeks to ensure that all employees, agents, contractors, and associated parties are entitled to their human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Human Rights Act 1988, the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and other relevant legislation and regulations.

2. Scope

This Modern Slavery Statement outlines the steps taken to identify and mitigate modern slavery in all aspects of our business.

This statement and its associated procedures:
2.1. applies to all persons associated with the Company;
2.2. aims to describe the Company’s approach to Modern Slavery mitigation;
2.3. does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment;
2.4. may be revised, tailored to fit unique circumstances, or withdrawn at any time.

Associated persons include all permanent and temporary employees of the Company (including any of its intermediaries, subsidiaries or associated companies), any individual or corporate entity associated with the Company or who performs functions in relation to, or for and on behalf of, the Company, including, but not limited to, directors, advisers, agency workers, casual workers, contractors, consultants, seconded staff, agents, suppliers and sponsors (“associated persons”).

This statement applies to all areas of Colpac’s operations, regardless of local practices, regulation and legislation – even where a practice that is considered unacceptable in the UK is considered normal in that culture, country, or jurisdiction.

This statement applies directly to Colpac’s main sites of operation in Flitwick, Bedford and Sandy in Bedfordshire, as well as to the Company’s worldwide network of suppliers.

3. Policies and Procedures

The Company has implemented the following policies and procedures to reinforce its commitment to ensuring modern slavery does not exist in Colpac’s supply chain:

Supplier selection procedure
All suppliers must go through a rigorous selection and approval process to become an approved supplier. The Company has a minimum set of requirements and expectations that suppliers must fulfil to ensure the long term environmental and social performance and sustainability of Colpac’s supply chain. This includes compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and with international standards on environmental management, quality, health & safety, food safety, and hygiene. All suppliers must provide evidence to support and prove their claims.

Supplier code of conduct
The Company requires all suppliers to sign up to a comprehensive Supplier Code of Conduct as part of the supplier selection and approval process. The Code of Conduct details our expectations and explicitly prohibits the use of forced or child labour. Regular audits are conducted to assess compliance with the code, and non-compliance is addressed through corrective action plans.

Sedex
Colpac is a member of Sedex. As members we use the Self-Assessment Questionnaire and SMETA audits of our suppliers to further ensure compliance with the Company’s position against modern slavery.

Ethical Trading Statement
All associated persons must comply with Colpac’s Ethical Trading Statement and the principles within it.

Employee Handbook
All employees have access to a comprehensive set of policies in the Employee Handbook aimed at protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of our staff. The Handbook includes guidance on how to report concerns.

Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Policy
All associated persons must comply with Colpac’s Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy.

For any queries, please contact us.