Introduction
Modern slavery is a criminal and a morally unforgiveable act that deprives persons of their liberty and dignity for another person’s gain.
It is a tangible problem for millions of people around the world, including many in developed countries, who are being kept and exploited in various forms of slavery. Every company is at risk of being involved in this crime through its own operations and its supply chain.
At Chartwell, we have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and are fully committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in our operation and supply chain. We have taken concrete steps to tackle modern slavery, as outlined in our statement. This statement sets out the actions that we have taken to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to our business, and to implement steps to prevent slavery and human trafficking during the financial year 2024/25.
Chartwell is a design, engineering and installation group, comprising three discrete divisions which encompass through-life building energy management systems (BeMS) solutions, Turnkey energy solutions: clever use of building controls can improve energy efficiency, reduce operating costs, improve occupant comfort and protect mission critical technology infrastructure. We provide innovative solutions at every stage of projects, from inception to completion and operation.
We establish a relationship of trust and integrity with all our suppliers, which is built upon mutually beneficial factors. Our supplier selection and on-boarding procedure includes due diligence of the supplier’s reputation, respect for the law, compliance with health, safety and environmental standards, and references.
We haven’t been made aware of any allegations of human trafficking/slavery activities against any of our suppliers, but if we were, then we would act immediately against the supplier and report it to the authorities.
Policies
Chartwell operates the following policies for identifying and preventing slavery and human trafficking in our operations:
Whistleblowing Policy – we encourage all employees, customers and suppliers to report any suspicion of slavery or human trafficking without fear of retaliation, and in complete confidence.
Code of Conduct – our code encourages employees to do the right thing by clearly stating the actions and behaviour expected of them when representing the business. We strive to maintain the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behaviour when operating and managing our supply chain.
Supplier due diligence
We expect all suppliers to attest if requested to do so, that:
- They don’t use any form of forced, compulsory or slave labour
- Their employees work voluntarily and are entitled to leave work
- They provide each employee with an employment contract that contains a reasonable notice period for terminating their employment
- They don’t require employees to post a deposit/bond and don’t withhold their salaries for any reasons
- They don’t require employees to surrender their passports or work permits as a condition of employment
Any supplier unable or unwilling to affirm the above statements will be removed from the Chartwell supply chain.
This statement covers 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024 and has been approved by the Managing Director by way of his signature.
This statement is subject to review annually, or as legislation dictates.
Paul Coker
Managing Director
1st December 2023
