Vet Seekers Modern Day Slavery Statement

Introduction:

The United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Australia’s Modern Slavery Act 2018 require companies like ours to disclose information regarding their efforts to combat slavery and human trafficking in their supply chain and within their business operations. Here at Vet Seekers Ltd we take this responsibility very seriously and acknowledge the need to continue and build upon this important work.

This Vet Seekers Ltd statement is made pursuant to the UK Modern Slavery Act of 2015, and the Australian Modern Slavery Act of 2018. While the UK Modern Slavery Act of 2015, and the Australian Modern Slavery Act of 2018 may not technically apply to all of the Company, the practices and commitments descried herein are applied by the Company globally.

Slavery has legally been abolished in all countries in the world but practices akin to it are widespread to this day. Modern day slavery can take many forms including the trafficking of people, forced labour, child labour, indented labour, domestic servitude, and slavery amongst other abhorrent practices.

At Vet Seekers Ltd, we are committed to playing our role in eradicating modern slavery and human trafficking in all forms. We have taken steps to ensure that our business and supply chain are free from modern slavery and human trafficking. These efforts include actions to ensure that everyone who works for Vet Seekers Ltd does so in an environment in which human rights are respected and anyone that we do business with also upholds these principles.

Vet Seekers Ltd acts as both an employment agency, employment business, and accordingly we have to remain vigilant to the possibility of slavery and human trafficking forming part of our business and/or supply chains.

We appreciate that the recruitment industry faces particular challenges in this area, although consider that our key areas of specialism within the veterinary sector make this less likely.

Recruitment and agency worker / labour hire supply

Vet Seekers core business practice involves sourcing veterinary candidates for our valued global veterinary clients. We do not engage external agencies for the supply of candidates for onward supply to our clients.

Supplier Adherence to Vet Seekers Values

We have zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. To ensure all those in our supply chain and contractors comply with our values we have in place a supply chain compliance programme. This consists of (a) issuing questionnaires; and (b) when we are entering into new contracts, where possible, including contractual provision for ensuring compliance with the Act and/or anti-slavery due diligence/our policy.

Vet Seekers Suppliers

We contract third parties who provide services to assist with the everyday running of our business, such as finance, factoring, insurance, software and IT service providers etc.

We acknowledge that by virtue of contracting other parties, whether as a client or as a supplier, there is always some risk of modern slavery existing in our supply chain. We expect our suppliers and potential suppliers to aim for high ethical standards and to operate in an ethical, legally compliant and professional manner.

We expect all our suppliers to operate ethically and transparently and take a risk-based approach to the sourcing, onboarding and monitoring of suppliers.

Actions taken to assess and address modern slavery risks:

Candidate engagement

Vet Seekers Ltd ensures that strict compliance checks are carried out for all candidates it supplies. We verify the identity by digital means via TRUSTID of each worker and their right to work before supply commences. We also have a dedicated temporary worker payroll team via GIANT GROUP+ who audit the relevant modern award that a temporary / locum / contract worker is engaged under to ensure they are paid correctly in accordance with the relevant award.

Cooperation with client due diligence

Our clients in the private sector operate in many industries and range in size from small businesses through to local subsidiaries of global groups. That being the case, Vet Seekers Ltd is familiar with participating in clients’ audits of their respective supply chains. In doing so, VS is also able to observe its clients’ own practices on the prevention of modern slavery.

Ability for employees to raise concerns at work.

All Vet Seekers Ltd employees have access to dedicated channels through which they may voice concerns, either through local reporting mechanisms or through whistleblowing procedures. An information statement providing an overview of Modern Slavery in Practice as well as the Red Flags to look out for is provided to every employee during their onboarding process. They are also provided with access to confidential reporting and whistleblowing mechanisms.

Vet Seekers is committed to protecting employees when disclosing malpractice and will ensure that all disclosures made in compliance with whistleblowing procedures will be treated confidentially and without fear of retaliation. It is by receiving and evaluating feedback and maintaining a culture of compliance that Vet Seekers Ltd can assess the effectiveness of its practices and procedures.

Vet Seekers Ltd is committed to the modern slavery statement section 54 – Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act was devised to encourage organisations to investigate and report on their own supply chains. It requires certain organisations to publish modern slavery transparency statements. These should provide an overview of the organisation’s structure and supply chain.

Training

Our Vet Seekers team are expected to comply with all laws and act in accordance with local guidelines and regulations and act with integrity and honesty. We have undertaken to continually review our policies and procedures to ensure our colleagues have access to any additional information and support they may require with regard to including the trafficking of people, forced labour, child labour, indented labour, domestic servitude, and slavery amongst other abhorrent practices.

All relevant employees in Australia have undertaken training on modern slavery and human trafficking, and this training will be repeated bi-annually moving forward.

Vet Seekers standard form contracts

Vet Seekers Ltd suite of standard form contracts furnished to client explicitly require mutual compliance with modern slavery legislation. The contracts contemplate and procure compliance with related laws, such an anti-bribery and corruption, and continue to require full compliance with local work health and safety laws.

Looking forward

Vet Seekers Ltd is committed to continual improvement around our controls around modern slavery, and ways to better assess and address the risks of modern slavery. We will continue to regularly undertake, and review the effectiveness, of our now-standard processes.

This statement is made pursuant to the Act and constitutes Hays’ slavery and human trafficking statement in respect of the 2021-22 reporting year and is approved by the principal governing body of Hays, being its board of directors.

Signed: David Maclellan

Position: Managing Director

Vet Seekers UK Ltd and Vet Seekers International

June 2023