ANTI-SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING STATEMENT
Freedom Rental Limited is fully committed to understanding the risks of modern slavery.
In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 this statement outlines the steps taken by Freedom Rental Limited to prevent slavery and human trafficking from occurring in our company or supply chains.
Freedom Rental Limited is a vehicle rental company based in Wilmslow, Cheshire and rents vehicles to individuals and businesses across Great Britain.
The functions undertaken by Freedom Rental Limited are:
· Organising vehicle rentals
· Facilitating the repair and maintenance of vehicles during and upon the termination of the rental period
· recovery of excess mileage amounts and other administration charges associated with the vehicle rental
· Administration of forwarding charges for items such as tolls or congestion charges
· Head Office support functions including Accounts, Marketing, Human Resources
Our Supply chains
The automotive supply chain is one of the most complicated of any industry. There are often six to ten levels of suppliers between the car manufacturer and the source of raw materials that enter the manufacturing process.
Freedom Rental Limited has a zero tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking and is committed to ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of the business. Freedom Rental Limited expects all our suppliers to be committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking.
This Anti-Slavery Statement underpins Freedom Rental Limited’s anti-slavery and human trafficking policy and reflects our commitment to put in place systems and controls which ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in the business or related supply chains.
Due Diligence
Freedom Rental Limited sources and rents cars from a broad range of national and international suppliers. Due to the breadth of our businesses and supply chains Freedom Rental Limited is not in a position to check every business relationship and avenue. The principal areas in which there is a risk of human trafficking and slavery are those related to our supply chains. Freedom Rental Limited takes a risk based approach in assessing our potential exposure to slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains
Although Freedom Rental Limited recognises our statutory obligation to take practical steps to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking from occurring in our supply chains, Freedom Rental Limited is not able to control the conduct of individuals and organisations in our supply chains.
The practical steps which Freedom Rental Limited has taken are as follows:
· Ensure all Freedom Rental Limited staff have the right to work in the UK by carrying out right to work checks for all employees as part of the recruitment process.
· The Anti Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy is included in the company induction.
The practical steps which Freedom Rental Limited have taken are as follows:
· Conduct risk assessments to determine which parts of the business and which suppliers are most at risk of modern slavery so that efforts can be focused on those areas.
· Engage with those suppliers identified as potentially at risk in order to communicate to them our Anti-Slavery Policy and to understand what measures they have taken to ensure modern slavery is not occurring in their businesses.
· Ensure all business activity complies with minimum wage legislation and to ensure that this requirement is met by all our contractors who are identified by Freedom Rental Limited as potentially at risk.
· To ensure that the requirement, to only employ staff with the right to work in the UK, is met by all our UK contractors who are identified by Freedom Rental Limited as potentially at risk.
In the event Freedom Rental Limited become aware of any instances of non-compliance from our suppliers, each instance will be investigated and assessed by Freedom Rental Limited on a case by case basis. Remedial action will be taken appropriate to the circumstances of each case. Freedom Rental Limited will temporarily suspend our business (to the extent permitted under contract or by law) with any supplier who it suspects of non-compliance. If a supplier continually fails to comply, then the ultimate sanction will be for Freedom Rental Limited to cease to trade with that supplier (to the extent as permitted under contract or by law).
Training
This statement and our Anti-Slavery Policy has been communicated to all employees and is included in Freedom Rental Limited’s induction, to ensure a high level of understanding of the company’s zero tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business and our commitment to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking from occurring in our business and supply chains.
Freedom Rental Limited operates a number of policies and procedures which promote and enforce the company’s zero tolerance approach in order to reduce the risk of slavery and human trafficking from occurring. These policies and procedures are reviewed regularly and include:
· Modern Slavery Policy
· Equal Opportunities Policy
· Recruitment Policy
· Grievance Policy
· Whistleblowing Policy
· Anti-corruption and bribery Policy
· Anti-harassment and Bullying Policy
Statement Publication and Review
Freedom Rental Limited’s Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement is posted on Freedom Rental Limited’s website. Freedom Rental Limited’s annual financial year end date is 31st December. The Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement will be reviewed by the Company’s Board of Directors on an annual basis and will be published no later than the following 31st March.
Approval
The board of directors of the Company approved this updated statement at its board meeting on 22nd March 2021.