Modern slavery statement

We recognise that modern slavery is a serious and growing global issue, and we are determined to play our part in tackling it.

The Board of Trustees, The National Trust Enterprises Board of Directors and the National Trust Executive Team have all approved this statement. A copy of the statement has been signed by the Chief Financial Officer.

Our commitment

We're determined in our commitment to identifying, preventing and addressing the risk of modern slavery across all areas of our work. This includes our direct operations, let estate, and extensive supply chains. We expect all suppliers, contractors and partners to uphold the same high standards and to actively support our efforts to eliminate exploitation and abuse.

In 2024–25, we strengthened our internal capabilities, expanded training and deepened our understanding of risk. We continue to embed ethical practices into our organisation, ensuring that our values are reflected in every decision we make.

The National Trust

As Europe’s largest conservation charity, we care for historic places and natural landscapes across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our work is supported by members, donors, volunteers and staff, and funded through memberships, grants, commercial income, donations and legacies.

Our structure

The Trust includes several subsidiaries, with National Trust (Enterprises) Ltd meeting the reporting threshold under the Act. Our governance ensures accountability across all directorates. Each Executive Director is responsible for managing modern slavery risk in their area, with oversight from the Chief Financial Officer and coordination by the Compliance and Assurance Group.

Our policies

We have a comprehensive suite of policies that support our ethical and inclusive approach. These include:

• A dedicated Modern Slavery Policy
• Clear procurement, recruitment, and safeguarding instructions.
• A “Products We Trust” framework guiding responsible sourcing of goods for resale, including ethical sourcing standards aligned with the Ethical Trading Initiative and Fairtrade Foundation.

These policies are actively communicated and regularly reviewed to ensure they remain effective and relevant.

Our supply chains

We have over 12,000 active suppliers that we trade with across a wide range of sectors. We have taken significant steps to improve transparency and accountability, including:

• Mapping all retail food products to source and non-food products to their main manufacturing sites.
• Conducting a materiality review of sustainability risks across procurement categories.
• Prioritising high-risk categories, starting with retail and construction, for deeper assessment and action.

We enable staff to reaffirm our expectations of suppliers in higher risk categories and support these suppliers with guidance and engagement.

Risk assessment and management

We take a proactive and evidence-based approach to risk management. In 2023, we completed a Trust-wide materiality review, followed by a detailed sustainability risk assessment of our construction category in 2024. These assessments inform our due diligence, training, and supplier engagement strategies.

We also monitor risks in our let estate and recruitment practices, recognising the potential for exploitation in seasonal labour and tenancies. Our safeguarding training and inspection processes are designed to detect and respond to concerns early.

Due diligence

We empower staff to make responsible decisions through clear guidance and training. Our due diligence includes:

• Ethical sourcing standards for goods and services.
• Pre-employment checks and agency oversight in recruitment.
• Right to Rent and credit checks for tenants.
• Regular tenancy inspections and safeguarding training.

We have enhanced our internal resources, including a “Buying Responsibly” hub and access to independent ethical sourcing databases. We also continue to work with SEDEX to improve compliance in our retail supply chains.

Training and awareness

We have significantly expanded training and awareness across the Trust:

• Mandatory safeguarding and modern slavery eLearning for all staff.
• A modern slavery seminar attended by 150 staff, with recordings available Trust-wide.
• Half-day workshops for staff managing higher-risk categories.
• A new Community of Practice for staff in procurement roles, offering monthly briefings and peer learning.
• Engagement sessions with leadership and frontline teams.

Grievance and reporting

We have integrated modern slavery into our safeguarding framework. Staff and volunteers can raise concerns through designated safeguarding leads or anonymously via our Speak Out facility. All concerns are taken seriously and addressed promptly.

Measuring effectiveness

In early 2025, we benchmarked our progress against BS25700: Organisational Responses to Modern Slavery, showing improvement since 2023. This independent review has informed our updated action plan and will guide our continued development. We intend to repeat a benchmarking review exercise at least every four years.