Modern slavery statement

Introduction

Everyturn is committed to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and in ensuring that we trade ethically, source responsibly and work to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking throughout our organisation and in our supply chain.

As a values-led organisation, we have a zero-tolerance approach to acts of modern slavery and human trafficking and are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships, and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains.

Our organisation structure

We are a provider of specialist mental health services across England. Everyturn is the parent charity and, together with Everyturn Services Limited (not for profit), we operate as one organisation. We employ around 900 colleagues across England with our head office being based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Our mission is to provide high-quality integrated mental health and wellbeing services, placing people and communities at the heart of everything we do. We’re here so no one has to struggle alone.

We work to a strong set of organisational values, and we uphold these in all the work we do.

Our business

We deliver services in the following areas:

• 24 hour CQC registered high-acuity services for dementia, older person’s functional mental health and Community Behaviours team
• 24 hour CQC registered services for Adults 24-hour
• Community services
• Integrated Crisis services
• NHS Talking Therapies services
• Supported Housing

We have multiple internal staff policies which are designed to reduce the risk of modern slavery, for example:

• Pay and Reward: our pay policy ensures all of our staff, including our apprentices, are paid at least the Real Living Wage rates. We also stipulate that any staff used through our supplier base are also paid at this rate.
• An open and transparent Recruitment Policy and policy on pre-employment screening.

Our supply chains

Approximately 80% of our expenditure relates to people costs, with the majority of the remaining spend procured via the UK Find a Tender process, in line with our Financial Regulations. Our procurement policy sets out the requirement to ensure our suppliers’ compliance with the Modern Slavery Act by reviewing their statements or, if unavailable, verification of their commitment via our Supplier Set Up form.

We procure a wide range of goods and services via a diverse and varied supply chain including;

• Property related services (construction and maintenance)
• Provision of food
• Facilities management
• Communications and IT equipment services
• Recruitment agencies and agency staff
• Various professional services including specialist consultancy
• Office equipment and supplies
• Utilities

Our policies on slavery and human trafficking

We are fully committed to ensuring that there is transparency in our organisation and our approach to tackling modern slavery and human trafficking in our organisation and supply chains.

We have robust HR policies and procedures in place to ensure the fair treatment of all colleagues including our Equality and Diversity policy. We comply with all applicable employment legislation relating to colleague terms and conditions, including payroll and we invest in supporting the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. All policies are underpinned by our organisational values – Innovation, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.

The following policies set down our approach in preventing slavery and human trafficking in our organisation

1. Raising Concerns – Freedom to Speak Up (Whistleblowing) Policy
2. Prevention of Bullying and harassment policy
3. Equality and Diversity policy
4. Recruitment and selection policy
5. Staff Handbook

We acknowledge the duty of care to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and local safeguarding procedures. Together with our Safeguarding policies we have provision for Safeguarding training for all, together with a Freedom to Speak up Guardian and a Just Ask service which is a confidential service, managed and delivered by our HR team.

A confidential See Hear Speak Up service provided to us by an external provider is also available.

Due diligence processes for slavery and human trafficking

In relation to recruitment, all colleagues are screened to ensure they are eligible to work in the UK in line with employment law. This process also applies to agency workers and self-employed affiliates and where we work with a recruitment agency we ensure all required checks are undertaken fairly and transparently.

We also have in place systems to:

• Identify and assess potential risk areas in our supply chains.
• Mitigate the risk of slavery and human trafficking occurring in our supply chains.
• Monitor potential risk areas in our supply chains.
• Protect whistleblowers.

We take a zero-tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking. To ensure that all those in our supply chain and contractors comply with our values and ethics we have in place a rigorous supply chain compliance programme.

Staff training

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 Safeguarding training to our colleagues which is regularly refreshed.

This statement 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 September 2023.