Modern Slavery Statement

Modern Slavery Statement 2022


Introduction

Charities Trust is committed to conducting its business in a responsible and ethical manner and strives to understand all potential modern slavery and human trafficking risks related to its business. As defined in The Modern Slavery Act 2015, Charities Trust ensures that practices are reviewed, monitored and if necessary improved to prevent slavery and human trafficking.

Charities Trust has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking and is fully committed to acting ethically and with integrity in its business dealings, ensuring transparency across the business and requiring the same high standards from suppliers and business partners.

Organisation’s Structure & Supply Chains

Charities Trust is a leading donations management organisation committed to growing charitable giving since 1987. Based in one site in Liverpool, UK, Charities Trust offers a wide range of services to help clients raise millions of pounds for good causes, easily, safely and tax effectively.

We procure a wide variety of goods and services from complex IT infrastructure to simple stationery. As some of our suppliers have their own suppliers, we prioritise our attention on key suppliers.

Any changes to key suppliers requires a risk based, impact assessment to check that there is sufficient due diligence undertaken to satisfy Charities Trust that they meet the expectations of UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, they are financially viable and conduct their business ethically, and to the standards expected by Charities Trust.

Governance & Policies

As part of our initiative to identify and mitigate risk (including in relation to that of human trafficking and slavery) we operate a range of Policies, which serve to address the requirements of The Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Our Policies reflect our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective due diligence and contractual compliance.

Supplier adherence to the values of Charities Trust

At Charities Trust, we expect the highest standards of conduct and probity throughout our supply chain and business relationships, requiring all those to comply with relevant law and regulation. We will not have any dealings with any organisation that has been found to be involved in modern slavery.

As part of Charities Trust’s risk-based process for managing payments through to charities and good causes, a robust verification programme is undertaken to ensure that our obligations are met in a compliant manner.

Charities Trust delivers the necessary resources to ensure that risk is minimised through our Due Diligence and Know Your Donor/Client processes in line with our Charity Screening Policy when dealing with charity beneficiaries.

Communication and Training

As part of our commitment to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking colleagues are required to be familiar with the Act and complete relevant online training. This training includes how to identify and escalate any concerns in line with our policies. Colleagues have access to policies including whistleblowing and are encouraged to raise any concerns about their own treatment by the company, or individual colleagues, in confidence and without fear.

During 2020 Charities Trust reviewed its communication processes and appointed a lead in the business who, as part of their role, co-ordinates policies, processes, training, and education. This has resulted in more focused e-learning opportunities for staff which will continue throughout 2022/23.

Review

Charities Trust will review and update this Statement annually to meet the requirements of The Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Company Secretary will measure our Policies and the Modern Slavery Statement for effectiveness and will report direct to the Board.

The Policy will be reviewed to reflect public policy and legislative changes and is made pursuant to Section 54(1) of The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking Statement for the financial year ending 30th April 2022.

This Statement has been approved by the Board of Directors and signed by a Director on 6th October 2022.