Modern slavery statement 2019

National Trust Modern Slavery Act Statement 

The National Trust and National Trust Enterprises are committed to ensuring modern slavery does not exist in its supply chains.  

We constantly strive to develop policy and procedures to manage the way we obtain our goods and services to keep our supply chains robust. An official audit assessed our approach and progress this year concluding it was deserving of the highest audit opinion available. To date we have had no reports of modern slavery within our organisation nor our supply chains.   

Supply chain 

Over the past year the Trust has developed a programme to assess the modern slavery standards of our key suppliers. 

We have issued all retail suppliers with contracts referencing the Trusts retail sourcing standards and the requirements we expect them to meet on modern slavery.  

We then followed this up with a questionnaire to better understand their environmental and ethical credentials of both their supply chain and manufacturing facilities. The responses to these questions are enabling us to identify any supplier who falls short of meeting our requirements and work with them so they can achieve our benchmark.   

We remain focussed on assessing our high risk spend areas and on raising awareness across all staff, from the Executive team through to everyone at our places to ensure all products and services are sourced and supplied responsibly and ethically.   

Staff and volunteer wellbeing 

The Trust has a clear framework of rules and behaviours and encourages the reporting of any concerns or breaches so that they can be dealt with appropriately in accordance with our policies and procedures. We offer an independent and confidential Whistleblowing hotline where staff and volunteers can raise concerns confidentially and anonymously if they wish.   

Our Employee Assistance Programme also provides staff with a secure way of seeking advice about any modern slavery or human trafficking issues personally affecting them or their families.   

In the coming year the Trust will be reviewing and revising its approach to safeguarding to ensure it appropriately reflects aspects such as radicalization and child exploitation.   

The Trust checks that staff can demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK and requires all contractors and agency staff to undergo an eligibility check before commencing work with the Trust. The Trust also seeks confirmation from volunteers that they have eligibility to work in the UK. In addition, the Trust uses a preferred supplier list to source temporary workers. 

Approved by the Board of Trustees of the National Trust on 24 July 2019 and signed on its behalf by Tim Parker, Chairman and approved by the Board of Directors of the National Trust (Enterprises) Ltd on 24 July 2019 and signed on its behalf by Orna NiChionna, Chairman.