Modern Slavery Policy

Last updated on March 15th, 2024 at 10:59 am

Williams Loans Modern Slavery Statement

Last Updated: 7th May 2023

Introduction

This Modern Slavery Statement is made pursuant to Section 54 of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that Williams Loans (“we”, “us”, or “our”) has taken and continues to take to ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking does not occur within our business or supply chain.

Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking, and forced labour. Williams Loans has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and to putting effective systems and controls in place to safeguard against any form of modern slavery within the business or our supply chain.

Our Business

Williams Loans operates a website at https://williamsloans.co.uk/, providing loan services to customers in the United Kingdom. Our business is headquartered at 329 – 339 Putney Bridge Road, Putney, London, SW15 2PG, UK.

Our Policies

We operate many internal policies to ensure we conduct business ethically and transparently. These include:

  1. Anti-slavery policy: This policy sets out the organization’s stance on modern slavery and explains how employees can identify any instances of this and where they can go for help.
  2. Recruitment policy: We operate a robust recruitment policy, including conducting eligibility to work in the UK checks for all employees to safeguard against human trafficking or individuals being forced to work against their will.
  3. Whistleblowing policy: We operate a whistleblowing policy so that all employees know they can raise concerns about how colleagues are being treated or practices within our business or supply chain without fear of reprisals.
  4. Code of business conduct: This code explains how we behave as an organization and how we expect our employees and suppliers to act.

Our Supply Chain

We are committed to ensuring that modern slavery or human trafficking is not present in our supply chain or in any part of our business. Our supply chain includes the procurement of goods and services required for the operation of our business, such as technology, office supplies, and professional services.

We have a dedicated compliance team, which consists of representatives from the following departments:

  • Legal
  • Human Resources
  • Procurement
  • Operations

The compliance team is responsible for implementing the measures outlined in this statement and monitoring their effectiveness. The team reports directly to the board of directors.

Due Diligence

As part of our efforts to monitor and reduce the risk of slavery and human trafficking occurring within our supply chains, we have adopted the following due diligence procedures:

  1. Supplier audits: We conduct audits on new and existing suppliers to ensure that they comply with our anti-slavery policy and the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act.
  2. Risk assessments: We assess the risk of modern slavery in our supply chain based on factors such as the geographical location of suppliers, the type of goods or services being procured, and the nature of the supplier’s workforce.
  3. Training: We provide training to key staff members to ensure they understand the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chain and our business.
  4. Reporting: We have established a reporting mechanism for employees, suppliers, or other stakeholders to report any concerns or suspicions related to modern slavery or human trafficking.

Key Performance Indicators

We have set the following key performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of our efforts to ensure that slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains:

  1. Number of audits conducted on suppliers
  2. Number of employees trained on modern slavery and human trafficking
  3. Number of reports received through our reporting mechanism

The compliance team reviews these indicators annually, and based on the findings, we make any necessary improvements or adjustments to our policies and procedures.

Training

We provide regular training to our employees on the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chain and our business. This training covers:

  1. An overview of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the types of modern slavery, including forced labour, child labour, and human trafficking.
  2. The risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chain and our business.
  3. The steps we are taking to combat modern slavery and human trafficking include our policies and procedures.
  4. How to identify the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking.
  5. How to report any concerns or suspicions related to modern slavery or human trafficking.

This training is provided to all new employees during their onboarding process and is refreshed annually for all employees.

Collaboration and Awareness

We recognize the importance of collaboration and information sharing to combat modern slavery and human trafficking. We are committed to working with our suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders to raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking and to promote ethical business practices.

We also provide information about modern slavery and human trafficking on our website to help raise awareness among our customers and the general public.

Review and Continuous Improvement

This Modern Slavery Statement will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure its ongoing effectiveness and relevance. We will continue to develop and improve our policies, procedures, and training to ensure that we are taking all reasonable steps to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chain.

Approval

This Modern Slavery Statement has been approved by Williams Loans’ board of directors. The board is responsible for ensuring that this statement is published on our website and communicated to all employees, suppliers, and other relevant stakeholders.

If you have any questions or concerns about modern slavery or human trafficking in our business or supply chain, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by email at modernslavery@williamsloans.co.uk or by mail at:

Williams Loans 329 – 339 Putney Bridge Road Putney, London SW15 2PG United Kingdom

We take all reports seriously and will investigate any concerns raised in line with our whistleblowing policy and procedures.

Modern Slavery Policy 2024