We oppose slavery and human trafficking in all its forms. This statement is issued in accordance with Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, to show our commitment to ethical trading principles in all of our operations. It sets out the steps we have taken to identify and mitigate the risks of modern slavery or human trafficking within our business structure and in our supply chains. 

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“Modern Slavery” is a broad term that encompasses slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour, and human trafficking. Traffickers and slave drivers coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

 

Dearnsdale Farm’s structure

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We are a family-owned business operating in the agricultural & horticultural sectors and a large fresh produce supplier. Our supply chains mostly consist of the following: packaging, plant material, growing inputs. We have a varying workforce, with a mixture of year-round core staff and seasonal workers who are employed during the busier farming months. 

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Our commitment to ethical trading

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Dearnsdale Fruit is committed to preventing modern slavery, forced labour, servitude and human trafficking within our business and throughout our supply chains. We require our partners, suppliers, labour providers, contractors and stakeholders to uphold transparency and clear direction to achieve the avoidance of slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour, debt bondage, and human trafficking. 

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We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective, transparent systems and controls to ensure we attain ethical standards, respect, protect and uphold recognised human rights standards. 

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Policies in relation to slavery and human trafficking

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We have implemented several policies which are relevant to modern slavery, these are reviewed annually to ensure they are up to date and contain all the latest information and developments within our business and the wider industry. Examples of which are: Anti-Harassment, Bullying and Equal Opportunities policies, also Anti-bribery, Fraud and Corruption policies.

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Due Diligence processes 

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We take practical steps to identify and manage risk, including:

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• All workers receive a written contract in a language they understand prior to employment, clearly outlining wages, hours and working conditions. These are provided to migrant workers in a language they understand and clearly indicate their rights and responsibilities about wages, working hours and other working and employment conditions.

• Worker interviews are conducted, and all applicants are told during the interview and intake process that they should not pay any money to get a job with us directly or indirectly.

• Clarity of job description explained at point of recruitment.

• Wages are paid directly to the employees.

• Established grievance channels in the native languages of all employees at the farm as a recourse for workers (migrant or national), to report forced labour violations and allow for anonymous reporting and protect workers from prejudice or retaliation. 

• Whistle-blowing boxes are on all sites.

• Having an active HR, and open-door policy for workers, ensuring we are approachable for all staff to discuss any issues they have during employment.

• We display notices in communal areas, including the Stronger Together poster in different languages.

• Conducting regular welfare checks and having a familiar point of contact for workers.

• Regular meetings between managers and staff representatives, who speak the same language as the workers.

• Attending Stronger together workshops, e-learnings.

• Having an Active GLA Check system.

• We are regularly audited both internally and by third parties.

• Supplier sign-off to our Ethical Code of Conduct.

• Active monitoring of recruitment practices.

• We vet suppliers and subcontractors to ensure that they are committed to ethical labour practices. 

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Recruitment and Labour Providers

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We recruit directly wherever possible. Where labour providers are used, we ensure:

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• Agencies are licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)

• No recruitment fees are charged

• They operate legally and do not engage in fraudulent behaviour that places workers at risk of forced labour or trafficking for labour exploitation.

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Prohibited Labour Practices

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The following practices are strictly prohibited within our operations and supply chain:

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• Charging recruitment fees (directly or indirectly)

• Confiscation or retention of passports, work permits or identity documents

• Contract substitution or unclear employment contracts. 

• Withholding wages or unlawful deductions

• Debt bondage or forced repayment schemes

• Mandatory deposits or security payments

• Restricting workers’ freedom of movement and personal freedom

• Inhumane treatment, threats, harassment or intimidation against a worker, his or her family, or close associates

• Mandatory residence as a condition of employment

• Use of unlicensed or non-compliant labour providers

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Training and awareness

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To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we provide training to our key staff annually to increase knowledge and skills around identifying, addressing and preventing modern slavery risks. 

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Modern slavery awareness forms a part of our Induction, management and supervisor training, Stronger Together awareness initiatives and ongoing consciousness with informative notices displayed in communal areas.

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Managers and key staff are trained to recognise and report warning signs, such as document retention, wage control by third parties, coercion, or restricted freedom of movement.

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Risk assessment and management

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To help identify and monitor the risk of slavery and human trafficking in our supply chain, we annually analyse the effectiveness of current strategies and then assess and update all our policies and procedures. 

 

We use the resource libraries from ALP and Stronger Together to ensure compliance and information gained from worker surveys and the whistle blowing boxes to evaluate performance and look for ways to improve and mitigate risk.

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Effectiveness in combating slavery and human trafficking - KPIs

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We use the following key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure how effective we have been at ensuring that slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains: 

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• A number of suppliers and subcontractors vetted for ethical labour practices.

• Self-assessment

• Risk assessment scores and improvements

• Inspections of direct suppliers in our supply chains.

• Reference to the number of reported breaches in the past year.

• Members of staff have received training on identifying and addressing the risk of slavery and human trafficking in our business. 

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Governance

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This Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement was approved by the Directors of Dearnsdale Fruit on 01/02/2026 for the financial year ending 30th March 2027 and is published in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act (2015). This statement is reviewed annually as part of our ongoing commitment to ethical business practices and continuous improvement.

 

Signed by Claire Thornton, Director, on behalf of Dearnsdale Fruit