MODERN SLAVERY & HUMAN TRAFFICKING STATEMENT

INTRODUCTION

This statement is made on behalf of the Octagon Group pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and comprises our Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement.

We adopt a zero tolerance to modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking and fully support the Governments objectives to eradicate modern slavery.

OUR BUSINESS

The Octagon Group operates from our Head Office at Weir House, East Molesey, Surrey building homes in and around London and the Home Counties. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings, and to put effective systems and controls in place to safeguard against any form of modern slavery taking place within our business and in our supply chains.

OUR SUPPLY CHAINS

Our supply chains include: –

Professional consultants, sub-contractors and material suppliers, together with outplacement of other administrative tasks where external expertise is required.

OUR POLICIES ON SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our business. Our Anti-Slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our business or in our supply chains.

We have in place systems across our business, our trading partners and our supply chains to: –

• • Identify inappropriate employment practices.
• • Identify and assess other potential risk areas.
• • Mitigate the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking occurring.
• • Monitor potential risk areas.
• • Protect any whistle-blowers.

SUPPLIER COMPLIANCE WITH OUR VALUES AND ETHICS

We have a zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking and to ensure all those in our supply chains and contractors comply with our values, we conduct due-diligence before allowing them to become a preferred contractor or supplier. This due-diligence includes an online search to ensure that organisation has never been convicted of offences relating to modern slavery and we require them to confirm that they have taken steps to eradicate modern slavery within their own business.

TRAINING

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our business, in our supply chains, and in our business partners, we provide relevant training to our staff.

This statement is made pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our Group’s Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement for the financial year ending 31^st March 2021 and was approved by the Board of Directors of the Octagon Group on the 30^th April 2020.