The School for Social Entrepreneurs is a registered charity that equips and empowers social entrepreneurs through learning programmes and short courses to transform their communities and improve the lives of others. SSE also provides funding and support to social entrepreneurs at all levels from startup to scale and provides Match Trading.
SSE builds and maintain strategic partnerships that enables SSE to ignite the social economy, and occasionally engage with lawmakers where there are legitimate interests especially regarding social enterprise sector, EDI (Equity, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion), and climate action.
We encourage all staff to report suspected modern-day slavery to the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700
The Board of Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring this statement complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that it is reviewed on an annual basis.
Definition
Modern Day Slavery: slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour, in line with the Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This includes but is not limited to debt bondage, human trafficking and forced or early marriage.
Our commitment to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act (2015)
SSE is committed to the principles of the Modern-Day Slavery Act (2015) ensuring that there is no modern slavery taking place in any part of our business, partnerships, or suppliers. One of our top priorities is “To tackle systemic challenges in society” and we take pride in maintaining a high standard of ethics in all that we do. We committed to acting and conducting all our business in an ethical manner and with integrity.
SSE conducts regular due diligence in line with our policy for all business relationships, partnerships, and suppliers. This enables SSE to implement effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere within our business, supply chains, and networks. SSE does not engage in any business relationship with organisations in the UK or Abroad that knowingly supports or is found to be involved in slavery, human trafficking, or forced labour. SSE will sever relationship ties with any business relationship found to be involved in modern day slavery or human trafficking.
At SSE we take pride in championing Equity, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we are committed to creating and upholding a working environment free of discrimination, with respect and dignity being placed on all staff.
Our aim is for all staff to feel safe and confident in exposing any wrongdoing without risk or repercussion.
Our human resource management and processes are designed to ensure that all staff are legally entitled to work in the UK and to safeguard staff, contractors, volunteers, and beneficiaries from any abuse or coercion. SSE will provide support according to our Adult safeguarding and Child Safeguarding & Protection policies.
We take human trafficking and modern-day slavery seriously. For example, any employee found to be involved in human trafficking will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct and subsequent reporting to the police.
Our Supply Chains
Due to the nature of our business, we assess ourselves to have a low risk of modern slavery in our business and supply chains.
Our supply chains are limited, and we procure goods and services from a restricted range of UK and overseas suppliers with strong codes of ethics.
Our Policies that the Support Modern Day Slavery Act (2015)
These policies are available to view on the organisation intranet to all staff.
- Anti-harassment and Bullying policy
- Adult at Risk Safeguarding Policy
- Child Safeguarding & Protection Policy
- Digital Safeguarding
- Due Diligence Policy
- Procurement Policy
- Whistleblowing Policy
Embedding the Principles
SSE will embed the principles through the following:
- Providing awareness to staff on the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and informing them of the appropriate action to take if they suspect a case of slavery or human trafficking through our Modern-Day Slavery statement.
- Ensuring staff involved in procurement activity are aware of and follow modern slavery procurement guidance on GOV.UK
- Ensuring that consideration of the modern slavery risks and prevention are added to SSE’s policy review process as an employer and procurer of goods and services making sure procurement strategies and contract terms and conditions include references to modern slavery and human trafficking.
- Embedding a zero-tolerance policy towards modern slavery ensuring that staff involved in buying or procurement and the recruitment and employment of workers are aware of modern slavery and ethical employment practices
Continuous Improvement
- SSE will make available Modern Day Slavery Training to all staff