Modern Slavery Statement

Introduction 

Global statistics demonstrate beyond dispute that slavery and exploitation is a reality in our world.  Modern Slavery is the term commonly used to refer to illegal exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain. Victims often find themselves trapped, against their will, in situations of domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, forced criminality, and forced labour often as the result of coercion, bribery, deceit or human trafficking.  

At DISARMCO, we value not only our own people, but those whom we serve; our beneficiaries and their communities, and so must be vigilant in both our recruitment and supply chains. 

Our Values are to be Determined, Expert, Professional, Enabling and Responsive and our response to modern day slavery lives out these values by raising awareness across our teams to bring forward any concerns about our supply chain activities ensuring our employment and remuneration practices are fair and transparent across all territories, challenging and supporting our suppliers to lead the fight against slavery and exploitation 

Recruitment and Selection Policy

This policy ensures that all recruitment decisions are made fairly and transparently; that processes are free from all types of unlawful or unfair discrimination and bias to ensure that equality of opportunity is maintained for all candidates and prospective candidates. Recruitment and selection initiatives will be carried out in line with relevant legislative obligations and best practice and appointments will only be made on the basis of the skills, experience and aptitudes required for the role.  

Remuneration Policy

 Our remuneration Policy seeks to ensure that we pay our people in line with the respective laws, cultures and market conditions of the relevant country context. DISARMCO aims to provide remuneration packages that: · attract, develop and motivate the calibre and mix of people required are fair, transparent and non-discriminatory, are legally compliant with national legislative requirements, and in the UK is in line with the modern living wage are competitive and comparable with organisations of a similar nature, are affordable to the organisation.

Safeguarding Framework

DISARMCO is committed to safeguarding the health, wellbeing and human rights of all staff, partners, and beneficiaries and to provide a safe and trusted environment for anyone who comes into contact with our work. Within the Safeguarding Framework, DISARMCO has a number of policies, procedures and guidelines in place to enable all individuals who are involved with or affected by our work to live free from harm, distress, abuse and neglect.  

Our Safeguarding Framework is reviewed and updated annually. 

Reporting Malpractice (Whistle blowing) Policy

DISARMCO will always strive to maintain the highest standards of openness, integrity and accountability in its work. The Reporting Malpractice (Whistleblowing) policy and procedure encourages employees and others who come into contact with our work who have serious concerns to voice those concerns. DISARMCO is committed to ensuring that genuinely held concerns will be thoroughly investigated and those who raise them will be protected against victimisation and discrimination.  This policy is updated annually and DISARMCO’s handbook is provided to all staff across the organisation.   

Policy on Personal Conduct

Employees (to include trustees, consultants, volunteers and accompanied persons) are required to abide by DISARMCO’s policies and procedures, terms and conditions of employment, and to ensure that their personal conduct is in keeping with DISARMCO’s Aims and Values. By following the Policy on Personal Conduct, all staff should be aware what is expected of them and make the greatest contribution to achieving DISARMCO’s Mission and Vision. The Personal Conduct Policy sets out the expectations that DISARMCO has of all employees, as well as providing examples of behaviours and actions that will always be unacceptable. The basis of this Policy is to ensure that professional and personal action does not bring the organisation into disrepute and to ensure that a positive working environment exists, which enables work of the best quality to be completed.  

In particular, it requires staff to agree with the following statements: I will treat all people inside and outside of the organisation fairly, with respect and dignity, I will not engage in any forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour, I will refrain from any form of harassment, discrimination, physical or verbal abuse, intimidation or exploitation, I will not engage in any exploitative, abusive or corrupt behaviours or relationships during my employment with DISARMCO.  I will avoid involvement in any criminal activities, activities that contravene human rights or those that compromise the work of DISARMCO. I will not knowingly participate in any illegal activities. 

In addition, this policy creates an obligation to report any concerns about the behaviour of other staff member. Any concerns will be treated with urgency, consideration and discretion.  This policy is updated annually.

Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy

It’s recognised that during the course of their work, DISARMCO representatives may come into contact with children and vulnerable adults. DISARMCO is committed to safeguarding these individuals from harm. Any form of abuse towards children or vulnerable adults by DISARMCO representatives or other parties will not be tolerated.   The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy recognises that all DISARMCO representatives have a duty of care to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm. We have measures in place to prevent and minimise the risk of abuse, protect staff and safeguard the reputation of the organisation. We will meet its commitment to protect children and vulnerable individuals from abuse through Awareness, Prevention, Reporting and Responding.  

This policy creates a strict obligation on all staff to report any concerns they may have which involve children and/or vulnerable adults. Anyone who is found to have deliberately or accidentally withheld information or prevented full and thorough reporting to have taken place could face disciplinary action.  This policy is updated annually.   

Dignity at Work Policy

All staff should be free to carry out their work with dignity and respect in an environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment and bullying. In this policy, DISARMCO sets out that it will take a zero-tolerance approach to any behaviours which compromise these basic rights.   This policy is updated annually

Procurement Policy (Transparency in Supply Chains (TISC) clause)

We are committed to ensuring that all procurement activities adhere to the principles of value for money, transparency and fair and open competition.  We will not trade with any suppliers which we have good reason to believe exploit people.  Our procurement policy is clear that suppliers must comply with local laws and regulations and that all procurement activities are in accordance with DISARMCO’s Ethical Statement and Financial Crime Policy.  

DISARMCO’s Supplier Registration Questionnaire is used to identify any companies who do not meet our Code of Conduct for Suppliers and Ethics which includes the requirement to pay fair wages and the requirements to provide working conditions which are safe and hygienic and free from harsh or inhumane treatment. These standards are in line with the principles and values of the Inter Agency Procurement Group (IAPG) and specifically with the Suppliers’ Code of Conduct for IAPG Agencies: http://www.iapg.org.uk/vendors/.  

 Ethical Statement

This protects DISARMCO from engagement in relationships that have the potential to have severe negative impact on our perceived or actual integrity or reputation. Such relationships are those which we judge to be in conflict with our achievement, fulfilment or adherence to our stated vision, mission and values and the activities which institutions and individuals fund DISARMCO to undertake. 

We take reasonable steps to undertake due diligence on providers of services and individuals and organisations providing financial and in-kind support. The Statement sets out our minimum ethical expectations of clients, suppliers, investors, companies, organisational and individual donors. We ensure reasonable due diligence steps to satisfy ourselves that each partnership complies with our Ethical Statement.  This policy is updated annually.

Our Commitment

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes DISARMCO’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 30th June 2019.  It has been approved by the CEO, who will review and update it annually.