Modern Slavery Statement 2024

Last updated (08/10/2024)

ORGANISATION

This statement applies to Maldon Salt Company(referred to in this statement as ‘the Organisation’). The information included in the statement refers to the financial year 2024/25.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

Maldon Salt Company is a privately owned business, founded in 1882.  It is based in Maldon, Essex and all employees are employed directly through one centralised office.  The organisation is controlled by a Board of Directors to whom the Managing Director reports.  The Managing Director is supported by an Executive Leadership Team.  The centralised office is at Wycke Hill Business Park, Maldon, Essex CM9 6UZ and the production sites are also in Maldon.

The main activity of the organisation is the production of sea salt which is sold throughout the UK and overseas.  Demand for our product is consistently high throughout the year, it is not seasonal. Work by our employees is wholly carried out in Maldon, Essex, in the United Kingdom.

DEFINITIONS

The organisation considers that modern slavery encompasses:

• Human trafficking.
• Forced work, through mental or physical threat.
• Being owned or controlled by an employer through mental or physical abuse of the threat of abuse.
• Being dehumanised, treated as a commodity or being bought or sold as property.
• Being physically constrained or to have restriction placed on freedom of movement.

COMMITMENT

The organisation acknowledges its responsibilities in relation to tackling modern slavery and commits to complying with the provisions in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The organisation understands that this requires an ongoing review of both its internal practices in relation to its labour force and, additionally, its supply chains.

The organisationdoes not enter into business with any other organisation, in the United Kingdom or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to involve itself in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.

No labour provided to the organisation in the pursuance of the provision of its own services is obtained by means of slavery or human trafficking. The organisation strictly adheres to the minimum standards required in relation to its responsibilities under relevant employment legislation in the United Kingdom, and in many cases exceeds those minimums in relation to its employees.

SUPPLY CHAINS

In order to fulfil its activities, Maldon Salt’smain supply chains include those related to the UK and Europe. To a much lesser extent supplies come from outside Europe for niche salt product (Himalayan and Kalahari for example) and spices used within blended salt products.

POTENTIAL EXPOSURE

The organisation considers its main exposure to the risk of slavery and human trafficking to exist within the sourcing of ingredients and niche salt products. In part, because of the geopolitical situations in the sourcing countries and the provision of labour in countries where protection against breaches of human rights may be limited.

In general, the Maldon Salt considers its exposure to slavery and human trafficking to be low. This in in part because it has taken steps to ensure that such practices do not take place in its business nor the business of any organisation that supplies goods and/or services to it.  It requires slavery and child labour statements and SMETA certification from suppliers considered higher risk.

STEPS

The organisation carries out due diligence processes in relation to ensuring slavery and/or human trafficking does not take place in its organisation or supply chains, including conducting a review of the controls of its suppliers.

The organisation has not, to its knowledge, conducted any business with another organisation which has been found to have involved itself with modern slavery.

In accordance with section 54(4) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the organisation has taken the following steps to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place:

• Reviewing our supplier contracts to include the option of termination if the supplier is found to be complicitly involved in modern slavery.
• Evaluation of the potential risks in its supply chains.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The organisation has set the following key performance indicators to measure its effectiveness in ensuring modern slavery is not taking place in the organisation or its supply chains.

Zero red flags for modern slavery identified in the supply chains, manufacturing or packing sites.

All agency workers provided by an agency with an active gangmaster licence.

POLICIES

The organisation has the following policies which further define its stance on modern slavery:

• Equality, Inclusion and Diversity Policy.
• Ethical Business Policy.

TRAINING

The organisation provides training to staff during their induction to effectively implement its stance on modern slavery and details of the policy are included on our organisation’s staff intranet.

SLAVERY COMPLIANCE OFFICER

The HR Director is the organisations Slavery Compliance Officer to whom all concerns regarding modern slavery should be addressed, and who will then undertake relevant action with regard to the organisation obligations in this regard. 

This statement is made in pursuance of Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and will be reviewed for each financial year.