MODERN SLAVERY STATEMENT
General Information
Who must publish a statement?
Only employers who meet the following criteria must produce a modern slavery statement for each financial year:
- Annual turnover of £36 million or more
- Are a body corporate or partnership
- Carry on a business or part of a business in the UK
- Supply goods or services
Turnover includes the turnover of any subsidiaries, regardless of where those subsidiaries are based or operate.
Organisations below the £36 million threshold are encouraged by the government to voluntarily publish a statement.
A parent organisation meeting the criteria must include steps taken in relation to its subsidiaries where their
activities form part of the supply chain or business, even if the subsidiary itself does not meet the threshold.
What must the statement contain?
A modern slavery statement must outline the steps taken to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are
not taking place within the organisation or its supply chains.
This is more than a paper exercise. Organisations must take practical action and confirm within the statement
what actions have been taken. Steps should demonstrate improvement year on year.
The statement must include the date it was approved and be signed by the most senior person in the organisation,
such as a Director or Board member, who has been involved in the approval process.
Publication Timeline
Statements relate to steps taken during a financial year and must be published within six months of the end of
that financial year. Statements must be reviewed and updated annually.
For example, if a financial year ends on 31st March, the statement should be published by the end of September
of the same year.
The Government recognises that exceptional circumstances, such as the coronavirus pandemic, may cause delays.
Where delays occur, organisations must state the reason within the statement itself.
Organisations are expected to assess and report any increased risks of modern slavery arising from such
circumstances and the steps taken to mitigate them.
Where the Statement Must Be Published
The statement should be published on the organisation’s website and accessible via a prominent link on the
homepage. Previous statements should remain available even when newer ones are published.
A central government registry was established in February 2021 where organisations may voluntarily upload
their statement. While this is not currently a legal requirement, it may become mandatory in the future.