Modern slavery statement 2021

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 review and develop its systems and process to manage its supply chains to assess and manage modern slavery risks.   

In addition to the systems already embedded into our commercial operations, the Trust has taken measures to further enhance its processes to assess the modern slavery standards across its supply chain.    

This includes the development and implementation of a new purchasing process used by our staff to request goods and services.  This new process will ensure orders for goods and services are placed with compliant suppliers and provide the opportunity to develop closer relationships with key suppliers and influence downstream supply chain processes.      

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 National Trust 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 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. Our safeguarding instruction, procedures and framework ensure we recognise, report and respond to all concerns or incidents of safeguarding.   

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 a range of topics including 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 that all contractors and agency staff undergo an eligibility check before commencing work with the Trust. The Trust also seeks confirmation from volunteers that they are eligible to work in the UK and uses a preferred supplier list to source temporary workers.   

Approved by the Board of Trustees of the National Trust on 21 July 2021 and signed on its behalf by Sandy Nairne, Trustee and approved by the Board of Directors of the National Trust (Enterprises) Ltd on 21 July 2021 and signed on its behalf by Orna NiChionna, Chair.