Anti Slavery Policy

Samarkand Anti-Slavery Policy Statement (Modern Slavery Act 2015)

The Government has introduced a provision in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 which requires certain businesses to produce a statement setting out the steps they have taken to ensure there is no modern slavery in their own business and their supply chains. If an organisation has taken no steps to do this, their statement should say so. The measure is designed to create a level playing field between those businesses, whose turnover is over a certain threshold, which act responsibly and those that need to change their policies and practices. However, the Government wants to encourage businesses to do more, not just because they are legally obliged to, but also because they recognise it is the right thing to do. 

One key purpose of this measure is to prevent modern slavery in organisations and their supply chains. A means to achieve this is to increase transparency by ensuring the public, consumers, employees and investors know what steps we are taking to tackle modern slavery. Those organisations already taking action can quickly and simply articulate the work already underway and planned. Organisations will need to build on what they are doing year on year. 

This first statement is to show how we are starting to act on the issue and our planned actions to investigate or collaborate with others to effect change. 

A focus on tackling modern slavery not only protects vulnerable workers and helps prevent and remedy severe human rights violations, it can bring a number of business benefits too Samarkand. These include: 

  • Protecting and enhancing an Samarkand’s reputation and brand;
  • Protecting and growing the Samarkand’s customer base as more consumers seek out businesses with higher ethical standards; 
  • Improved investor confidence; 
  • Greater staff retention and loyalty based on values and respect; and 
  • Developing more responsive, stable and innovative supply chains. 

If a business fails to produce a slavery and human trafficking statement for a particular financial year the Secretary of State may seek an injunction through the High Court (or, in Scotland civil proceedings for specific performance of a statutory duty under section 45 of the Court of Session Act 1988) requiring the organisation to comply. If the organisation fails to comply with the injunction, they will be in contempt of a court order, which is punishable by an unlimited fine. 

Samarkand (annual turnover <£36m in 2015) is not required to comply with the Act under the qualifying criteria listed as:

Any organisation in any part of a group structure will be required to comply with the provision and produce a statement if they: 

  • Are a body corporate or a partnership (described as an “organisation” in this document), wherever incorporated; 
  • Carry on a business, or part of a business, in the UK; 
  • Supply goods or services; and 
  • Have an annual turnover of £36m or more. 

How ever as a company we predict continued growth and therefore recognise the need to take steps towards complying with the Modern Slaver Act 2015 as soon as possible for legal and more importantly moral reasons.

Samarkand is a UK based consultancy service provider operating predominantly in the Critical National Infrastructure arena.  Our head office and all our trading activities are currently in the UK.  We have an annual turnover less than £3.6m.

Our supply chain is short and simple as we source personnel with specialisations in Programme/ Project management, Emergency Preparedness & Response and Systems Engineering.  The nature of our work requires all our staff and supply chain to hold UK Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) with the legal right to work in the UK.

We are committed as a business to make sure there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chain or in any part of our business. Our Anti-slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chain. 

  • We will build longstanding relationships with our supply chain and make clear our expectations in terms of business ethics and our commitment and expectations in all matters concerning business behavior.
  • With regards to national or international supply chains, our point contact is preferably with a UK company or branch and we expect these entities to have suitable anti-slavery and human trafficking policies and processes. We expect each entity in the supply chain to, at least, adopt ‘one-up’ due diligence on the next link in the chain. 
  • We have zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. We expect all those in our supply chain and contractors comply with our values.
  • To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we provide training to relevant members of staff. All Directors have been briefed on the subject. 

To measure how effective we are in ensuring that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains we encourage a level of communication and personal contact with next link in the supply chain and their understanding of, and compliance with, our expectations. 

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our group’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the current financial year