Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Statement

Introduction 

We support the objectives of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships. We aim to ensure that modern slavery, human trafficking or forced labour is not taking place anywhere in our business or in any of our supply chain. 

We are also committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains and we expect the same high standards from all our contractors, suppliers and business partners. 


Our structure 

We are a regional house builder with a single Support Office based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. All our operating sites are within Yorkshire and the East Midlands. 

Our main business activities are acquiring land for development, building homes of a high-quality, whilst offering an outstanding service to our customers. 

We directly employ approximately 200 people, and are committed to fair employment practices, following where applicable all employment laws, and we also invest in supporting the health and wellbeing of our team. 

 

Our supply chain

Our supply chain include building contractors, sub-contractors, product suppliers and professional consultants e.g architects and land surveyors. Other suppliers to our business are professional services such as lawyers, accountants and other consultants. 

We have a stable supply chain allowing us to benefit from a significant number of long standing trading relationships with likeminded Subcontractors, Suppliers and Consultants who share our values. Honesty and transparency are the basis of these relationships. 

A number of our suppliers will be of a size that trigger a requirement to comply with the obligation to produce a Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement under the Act. 

Whilst construction of our homes is not the only area of our business that carries the risk of modern slavery, we have identified this as a major risk area and is therefore our primary focus. 

A home includes a large number of different materials. Some are sourced in the United Kingdom but many are either not available or not commercially available in the United Kingdom. This means our supply chain is geographically diverse and occasionally includes some countries where there is a risk of modern slavery and child labour. 

We source some building materials directly from suppliers, but the majority of the materials used in building our homes are procured by the contractors engaged to carry out the building works. This means we are often several steps removed from the procurement of materials, and we acknowledge this can therefore increase the risk. 

Our subcontractors provide their own labour force to work on Strata sites. We have identified this as another area of risk. 

 

Steps taken during 2022

We have reviewed our practices, policies and procedures. We have identified the areas of high risk and started to make changes to raise awareness and explore where further action is required. 

We have established an action plan, outlining what action is needed, with target dates for completion, which we will review on an ongoing basis.

We have conducted a training session for all directors and senior managers of our business to raise awareness and understanding of the risks.

We have completed an initial review, in the form of a survey, of our suppliers and subcontractors to establish their current practices, policies and procedures around modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour. 

We have updated our Standard Purchase Order and Subcontractor Terms of Contract requiring trading partners to comply fully with the Act, with any breach resulting in the termination of all live contracts.

We have highlighted the issue of modern slavery to our employees through internal communications. We have clarified that they are required to report concerns to a senior manager or director of the business, who will then investigate and where necessary take appropriate action on any concerns raised. 

 

Commitments for the coming year

We are committed to increasing our understanding of the risks of modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour in our business and our supply chains, and to their eradication if found by undertaking the following actions in the coming year:

1. Review all policies to identify whether the risk of modern slavery and child labour should be directly referenced. 

2. We intend to raise further awareness within our team, through a companywide training plan, we will also include this within our induction programme for new team members.   

3. Following the initial survey to our suppliers and subcontracts we will summarise the findings and identify next steps required to continue raising awareness and challenging high-risk areas. 

4. We will produce a guide for our supply chain to educate them on best practise with regards modern slavery, and the steps we recommend they take within their business.  

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 30th June 2023. 


This statement cover the following subsidiary companies:


Strata Homes Limited

Strata Homes Yorkshire Limited

Strata Homes Midlands Limited

Ignite Homes Limited

Strata Plus Limited