Modern slavery
The introduction of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 aligns with Bernicia’s values and in particular our commitment to Integrity; building trust through open, honest, ethical behaviour, acting with respect for others and behaving as responsible members of local communities.
Slavery is defined as “where ownership is exercised over a person; servitude involves the obligation to provide services imposed by coercion; forced or compulsory labour involves work or service exacted from any person under the menace of a penalty and for which the person has not offered themselves voluntarily”. Human trafficking concerns arranging or facilitating the travel of another with a view to exploiting them.
We have produced a statement which summarises our approach over the last year to mitigate the risks of modern slavery in our business and to set out the actions we intend to take going forward. Our Equality and Diversity Panel will monitor progress on these objectives.