Modern Slavery Policy

Introduction

This statement is published in accordance with Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.

The Texthelp Group is committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains, consistent with our obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.  We expect the same high standards from all our contractors, suppliers and other business partners. This statement sets out the steps we are taking to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chains.

Background

Texthelp creates and supplies assistive technology products all over the world. In this statement, we refer to Texthelp Ltd and all its subsidiary companies collectively as “the Company”.

The Company does not tolerate slavery or human trafficking within its business operations and takes a risk-based approach regarding its supply chains. The Company supports the enactment and enforcement of human trafficking laws which recognise and protect victims while holding traffickers accountable. In addition to publishing this annual statement, the Company has appropriate policies in place to underpin our commitment to ensure there is no modern slavery in our supply chain or any part of our business.

Our Suppliers

The Company has business relationships with software vendors and distributors based predominantly within Europe and the USA. The software business sector is not considered one most ‘at risk’ and no Texthelp subsidiary company has intricate supply chains (or partnerships) with businesses based in impoverished regions of the world, where labour laws are non-existent or are not enforced. We are firmly against the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour, or anyone held in slavery or servitude, whether adults or children, and we expect that our suppliers will uphold these standards and that our suppliers will in turn hold their own suppliers to the same high standards.

Our Staff

The Company has strict recruitment processes in place, ensuring reference checks for all employees are carried out and proof of eligibility to work in the UK (or the country in which they are employed) is confirmed prior to commencement of employment. The Company ensures that no-one under the legal minimum age for admission to work is employed by the Company.

Further, our staff are encouraged to raise any concerns about, or suspicion, of modern slavery in any part of the Company’s business or supply chain at the earliest possible opportunity.

Our Commitment

The Company does not support or deal with any business knowingly involved in slavery or human trafficking. We understand that modern slavery risk is not static, and so we will actively monitor our supply chains and undertake selective due diligence. We will immediately implement risk mitigation and remedial measures should the situation change or new risks become apparent.

Following a review of the effectiveness of the steps we have taken this year to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains we intend to take the following further steps to combat slavery and human trafficking:

• We intend to enact an updated Modern Slavery Policy which all employees must read and be aware of as a condition of their employment. Further, the Policy will continue to be made available to all employees via Texthelp’s intranet and will be communicated via employee briefings; and
• We intend to require that our supplier contracts contain terms which confirm their commitment to ensuring modern slavery and human trafficking are not within their supply chains; and
• We intend to implement a training program for our employees to help them identify and report suspected violations of our Modern Slavery Policy.

Any employee who breaches our Modern Slavery Policy will face disciplinary action which could result in dismissal for gross misconduct. Any breach of the Policy by a third-party business partner (whether an individual or organisation) will be considered as a material breach of contract in the case of a third party business partner and any contract with such person will be terminated immediately.

This statement has been approved by the Board and signed by Craig Powell, CEO of the Company on 10th October 2024.