Modern slavery statement 2020

National Trust Modern Slavery Act Statement 

The National Trust and National Trust Enterprises are committed to ensuring modern slavery does not exist in its organisation or 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. To date we have had no reports of modern slavery within our organisation nor our supply chains.   

Supply chain 

The Trust continues to assess the modern slavery standards of our key suppliers having implemented, in early 2020 more formal, automated, risk-based supplier due diligence process.   

All food and beverage and retail suppliers are issued with contracts referencing the Trust’s sourcing standards and the requirements we expect them to meet on modern slavery.  

We follow 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 enable us to identify any supplier who falls short of meeting our requirements and work with them so they can achieve our benchmark.   

We remain focused 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 have reviewed and revised our safeguarding instruction, procedures and framework to ensure we recognise, report and respond to all concerns or incidents of safeguarding. We are committed to keeping all our people safe from harm and abuse, this includes children, adults at risk and anyone who comes into contact with the Trust.    

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.   

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 8 July 2020 and signed on its behalf by Tim Parker, Chairman and approved by the Board of Directors of the National Trust (Enterprises) Ltd on 22 July 2020 and signed on its behalf by Orna NiChionna, Chairman.