Modern Slavery Statement 2021/2022

Springhill Farms (Pershore) Ltd are taking and continues to take steps to understand and minimise the potential risk of modern slavery in its business and supply chains.

About Springhill Farms (Pershore) Ltd

Springhill Farms operates over 4500 acres in the Heart of England, with a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural enterprises including tomatoes, spring onions, asparagus, fennel, courgettes, as well as combinable and forage crops.

Our commitment to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Risk assessment.

Springhill Farms is committed to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the abolition of modern slavery and human trafficking. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we are committed to creating and ensuring a non-discriminatory and respectful working environment for our staff, across our business. We want all our staff to feel confident that they can expose any wrongdoings without risk to themselves. Our recruitment and people management processes are designed to ensure that all prospective employees are legally entitled to work in the UK, and to safeguard our employees from any abuse or coercion. We do not enter into any business with any organisation, in the UK or abroad, which knowingly supports, or is found to be involved in slavery, forced, or compulsory labour. By working in conjunction with Stronger Together and GLAA (Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority), through promoting their posters, visual aids, and offering helplines on site, we offer a confidential service so that people can raise concerns about slavery and human trafficking. Most of our temporary seasonal staff are supplied to our sites via an employment agency that is registered with the GLAA, and ethical audits take place with the agency annually.

Our Supply Chain

All primary suppliers to Springhill Farms are SEDEX registered.  Suppliers work with us in partnership to proactively ensure all appropriate measures are taken. They have a code of conduct they must adhere to. As temporary and seasonal work is common practice within our supply chain it is an area that we have identified as a potential risk for slavery and human trafficking. Working in partnership with the GLAA, ALP (Association of Labour Providers) and Stronger Together helps us support our growers and employees throughout our supply chain to minimise the risk of exploitation. As a company we have a robust supplier approval process which involves ethical audits to ensure our supplier’s ethical stance is aligned with ours. We audit compliance in line with the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) Base Code. Our aim is to have transparency throughout the supply chain. We have shared our Modern Slavery Statement, Code of Conduct and Ethical Sourcing Policy with all suppliers asking they comply. We procure goods and services from across the globe, but primarily from the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Mexico. Our supply chain involves fresh produce growers and traders and logistics workers and hauliers, as well as suppliers of non-trade products i.e. products we require for the day to day operational running of Springhill Farms. We are committed to monitoring-identifying slavery and trafficking risks within our supply chains and helping ensuring remediation where cases are identified, if any.

Our policies in relation to the Modern Slavery Act 2015

The following policies are available to our staff:
  • Code of Conduct
  • Whistleblowing policy
  • Bullying and Harassment policy
  • Diversity and Inclusion Policy
  • Recruitment policy
  • Ethical sourcing policy
We will continue to embed the principles:
  • Providing awareness training to staff of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and informing them of the appropriate action to take if they suspect any case of slavery or human trafficking.
  • Continuing to take action to embed a zero-tolerance policy towards modern slavery.
  • Ensuring staff involved in buying, procurement and recruitment of workers receive training on modern slavery and employment practices.
This statement has been approved by Andrew Bille, Managing Director, for the financial year ending 31 March 2022 and will be updated annually.