MODERN DAY SLAVERY STATEMENT
1. STATEMENT FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2023 - 2024
VMS Automotive Group Ltd is committed to doing business fairly and ethically and supports the aims of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
This statement is made pursuant to s.54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that VMS (Fleet Management) Ltd has taken, and is continuing to take, to ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking is not taking place within our business or supply chain.
Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour. VMS Automotive Group Ltd has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of slavery. We are committed to acting ethically, with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and to putting effective systems and controls in place to safeguard against any form of slavery taking place within the business or our supply chain.
This statement relates to all companies of the VMS Automotive Group Ltd –
VMS (Fleet Management) Ltd
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd
MAR Vehicle Solutions Ltd
MAR Cooling Solutions Ltd
Western Truck Rental Ltd
2. ORGANISATION’S STRUCTURE
VMS Automotive Group Ltd is privately owned and operated with 14 national sites. The Head Office is situated in Stevenage, Hertfordshire and a 24/7/365 operations centre based in East Anglia, supported by our own mobile services teams and national network or repair centres.
We provide a range of services including accident and vehicle management, full range of contract hire and fleet management solutions, together with a wide range of support services.
3. OUR SUPPLY CHAIN
Our supply chain provides us with vehicles, from cars to specialist vehicles, vehicle consumables and maintenance support services.
4. OUR POLICIES
We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. We have a number of policies in place within our business and annual declarations from our supply chain to ensure compliance and to combat modern slavery. The relevant policies are outlined below:
•Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Policy
•Supply Chain Management Policy
•New Supplier Process, Forms and Checks
•Annual Supplier Declarations
•Anti-Bribery & Corruption Policy
•Equal Opportunities Policy
•Whistleblowing Policy
We carry out thorough due diligence in the following ways, by communicating policies to our staff and suppliers where possible, we build long standing relationships with our supply chain and ensure our expectations of business behaviours are understood and that robust checks for all new suppliers are in place and carried out.
5. SUPPLIER AUDITS AND ANNUAL DECLARATIONS
Thorough supply chain due diligence thorough investigation of any issues/concerns raised systems in place to encourage the reporting of any concerns and the protection of whistle blowers. Tracking, monitoring and preventing the risk of occurrence through diligent management. Use of supporting HR and recruitment companies as a third-party check of our recruitment and personnel policies.
6. TRAINING
Management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with this policy and are given adequate and regular training on it. Management will track completion of this training for their direct reports.
Our employees and our supply chain are made aware of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking through the distribution of our related policies. And we continue to undertake further education and training of all appropriate employees. We ensure our effectiveness in the following ways:
• Preparing the annual statement
• Checks and audits within our systems
• Checks of our payroll system
• Annual supplier declarations and audits where applicable
• Depot audits
• Staff training
7. ADHERENCE
We have zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking, and we expect all those in our supply chain and contractors to comply with our values.
The Company will not knowingly support or deal with any business or organisation that is involved in slavery or human trafficking.
If an employee or associate suspects there is an issue in our Company or our supply chain they must alert this to the attention of their manager as soon as possible so that this can be recorded and thoroughly investigated in accordance with our Whistleblowing Policy.
Employees have a duty to familiarise themselves with this policy and to adhere to the terms set out within this document.
T: 01438 731 931 E: info@vmsglobal.co.uk W: www.vmsfleetmanagement.co.uk
