Anti-Slavery Policy
Modern slavery and human trafficking statement · Hull Storage & Interiors Ltd
Modern slavery is a crime. It covers slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking. Hull Storage & Interiors Ltd will not accept it in any part of our business or our supply chain. This document sets out what we do to keep it out.
- Document
- HSIL-POL-002
- Version
- 3.5 (Issue 11)
- Issued
- 01/10/2026
- Next review
- 01/10/2027
- Policy owner
- James Smith
- Approved by
- Susan Smith
- Applies to
- Staff and suppliers
- Status
- Current
1. About this statement
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires organisations with a turnover of £36 million or more to publish a statement every year. We are below that threshold and publish this one voluntarily, because our NHS and public sector customers have to assess this risk whenever they buy.
It follows the six areas in the Home Office statutory guidance, Transparency in supply chains: a practical guide. It is both our policy and our statement, and we re-issue it every year.
2. Our business and supply chain
We are a distributor. We do not manufacture anything. We supply storage and workplace equipment to businesses and public bodies across the UK: shelving, pallet racking, lockers, cupboards, workbenches and mailroom furniture.
We buy finished products from UK-based manufacturers, distributors and importers, and use subcontractors where we provide installation. We depend on our suppliers for what they tell us about how and where goods are made, so we choose them with care. A director is responsible for this policy.
3. Our policies
We will:
- never use forced, bonded or child labour, or knowingly buy from anyone who does
- check that everyone we employ has the right to work in the UK
- never keep a worker’s passport, identity papers or bank card
- pay at least the legal minimum wage, into the worker’s own bank account
- never charge anyone a fee to get or keep a job with us
- respect our employees’ right to leave after giving notice, and to join a trade union
- protect anyone who raises a concern in good faith
4. Assessing and managing risk
We review the risk across our business and supply chain every year, and whenever we take on a new kind of product or supplier. These are the areas we watch most closely.
| Where | Why it matters | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Imported goods and materials | Steel, plastics and timber may come from countries where forced labour is a known risk. | We buy from established UK suppliers and importers, and expect them to know where their goods come from. |
| Delivery and haulage | Drivers and warehouse staff are often subcontracted, and out of sight of the customer. | We use established carriers, and report anything that worries us about how drivers are treated. |
| Installation labour | Subcontract and temporary labour on site is a known risk in construction-related work. | We use subcontractors we know, and expect them to check the right to work of everyone they bring to site. |
| Agency and temporary staff | Workers may have paid fees, or owe a debt, to whoever found them the job. | If we use an agency, we use a reputable one and ask how its workers are recruited and paid. |
5. Due diligence
We aim to buy only from suppliers who share the standards in this policy. We expect every supplier and subcontractor to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and we ask our main suppliers to confirm that they do. Where a supplier has to publish its own modern slavery statement, we expect it to be available to us.
If we learn of a problem, our first step is to raise it with the supplier and ask for it to be put right. Walking away can leave workers worse off, so we stop buying from a supplier only as a last resort, when they will not or cannot change.
6. Training
Staff who buy goods, book carriers or subcontractors, or visit customer and supplier sites are made aware of the signs of modern slavery and how to report a concern. This policy is part of our staff induction.
7. Monitoring and evaluation
We keep a record of any concern raised and what we did about it. The directors review this policy, and how well it is working, every year.
8. Reporting a concern
If you see something that does not look right, at our premises, on a customer’s site or at a supplier, tell a director straight away. You do not need proof, and you will not be penalised for raising a genuine concern.
Signs to look for. Someone who seems frightened, or controlled by another person. Someone who does not hold their own passport or identity papers. Wages paid to somebody else. Workers dropped off and collected together at unusual hours. No proper clothing or safety equipment for the job. These signs are based on the International Labour Organization’s indicators of forced labour.
You can also report a concern outside the company:
| Who | Contact |
|---|---|
| Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline | 08000 121 700, free, open 24 hours a day |
| Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority | 0800 432 0804 |
| Police | 101, or 999 if someone is in immediate danger |
9. Breaches of this policy
An employee who breaches this policy may face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. If a supplier or subcontractor breaches it and will not put things right, we may end our contract with them.
10. Approval and review
This statement was approved by the directors of Hull Storage & Interiors Limited on 01/10/2026. We review it every year and publish the current version on our website.
Sign-off
Signed by James Smith, Director, on 01/10/2026.