MODERN DAY ANTI-SLAVERY POLICY
Our commitment
Cowan Architects Ltd are committed to promoting and maintaining the highest level of ethical standards in relation to all business activities. Its reputation for maintaining lawful business practices is of a paramount importance and this Policy is designed to preserve these values and prevent against Modern Slavery, which encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour.
Our Business
Cowan Architects Ltd is a chartered architect practice offering a full range of RIBA professional services throughout the UK.
We are committed to eliminating modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, and similar human rights abuses.
The business is committed to ensuring that its staff and any temporary workers it employs (directly or indirectly) are not subject to behaviour or threats that may amount to modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, and similar human rights abuses.
Supply Chain Risk
Cowan Architects Ltd have adopted a Risk Based Approach to review our supply chains. Where appropriate our suppliers are requested to complete a Modern Slavery Self-Assessment.
Our Policies
Our modern Slavery Policy sets out our position of zero tolerance of modern slavery and human trafficking in any form in our business and supply chains. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in our business dealings and relationships, and to marinating systems and controls designed to ensure modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in our business or across our supply chain.
Our Anti-Bribery Policy ensures that Cowan Architects Ltd is committed to upholding high standards of business integrity, honesty, and transparency in all its business dealings. We will comply with local laws and international good practice and will not become involved in any way in the offering, payment, soliciting or acceptance of bribes in any form.
Our Whistleblowing Policy provides a process of our employees and others working in our supply chain to report suspected breaches of our policies.
Our process for Managing Risk
In order to assess the risk of modern slavery, we use the following processes:
- Identify and access potential risk areas when considering taking on new suppliers and regularly review our existing supply chains.
- Review the potential for risk at regular intervals, including the possibility of re-auditing a supplier or conducting spot checks.
- Protect whistle blowers.
Training
Cowan Architects Ltd provides appropriate training and awareness information for all of its staff, in particular:
- Our senior management team receive detailed training in identifying and resolving concerns around modern slavery and human trafficking.
Any staff, workers or other parties are strongly encouraged to report any concerns or suspicions that they might have to a member of the senior management team.
Reports surrounding these issues are taken extremely seriously and we are committed to ensuring that all investigations shall be prompt and effective. If our investigations reveal any issues, we are committed to taking appropriate action, including but not limited to:
- Working with the appropriate organisations to improve standards.
- Removing that organisation from our preferred supplier list.
- Passing details to appropriate law enforcement bodes.
We would also recommend reading this in conjunction with our other policies, including our:
- Anti-bribery.
Anti-Slavery Policy Statement
Cowan Architects Ltd has a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of slavery and human trafficking and is committed to acting ethically, fairly and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and relationships and implementing effective systems and controls to safeguard against any form of slavery or human trafficking from taking place within our organisation or that of our supply chain.
This Anti-Slavery Policy Statement is the principal articulation of the business policy on slavery and human trafficking and is intended to inform and influence all company operating procedures.
This policy was adopted 22 March 2019 after being agreed by our Board. It is reviewed annually.
