Arden Maidstone Limited

This statement is reviewed each year and is a guideline for Arden Maidstone Limited management and staff for the financial year. The statement represents the steps Arden Maidstone Limited has taken during the financial year.

Introduction

Modern slavery is an international crime, a violation of fundamental human rights and is estimated to affect more than 29 million people worldwide. There are many forms of modern slavery, such as slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking but the common theme is someone depriving another person of their liberty for personal or commercial gain.

Arden Maidstone Limited has a zero tolerance approach to modern slavery. We are committed to acting ethically in all our business dealings and ensuring that we have systems and processes in place to ensure modern slavery is not occurring anywhere within our business or supply chain.

This statement sets out Arden Maidstone Limited actions to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to its business and to put in place steps that are aimed at ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in its own business and its supply chains. This statement relates to actions and activities during the financial year 1st January 2019 to 31 December 2019.

As part of motor industry, the organisation recognises that it has a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking.

The organisation is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activities, and to ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.

Organisational structure and supply chains    

This statement covers the activities of Arden Maidstone Limited which operates in Kent, United Kingdom. There are a few locations:

BMW Retailer: 12 Wood Close, Quarry Wood Industrial Estate, Kent, ME20 7UB

MINI Retailer:    736 London Road, Larkfield, Kent, ME20 6BG

Service Centre: Units 8 & 9, Quarry Wood Industrial Estate, Kent, ME20 7UB

Storage/Valet & SMART : Quarry Wood Industrial Estate, Kent, ME20 7UB

Our associated business suppliers are our manufacturer and subsidiary companies within BMW Group UK, and other suppliers. Some of these suppliers work within the business on a day to day basis:

• Automotive Systems UK Limited - TCF/FCA Compliance Consultancy
• RJG Consultants Limited – IT
• SecurePLC – contract valetors
• SeeClear Ltd – premises cleaners
• LRDFuture Ltd – Smart repairers
  
  

Anti-Slavery Policies

The Group is committed to ensuring that no modern slavery is occurring within our supply chain or in any part of our business and to this end have adopted an anti-slavery policy, which has been communicated to all our staff.

Procedures

The company operates a robust recruitment process in accordance with UK legislation, including interviews for all roles, Passport,ID and address checks and ensuring everyone employed is over the age of 16, has control and possession of their own passport, and is eligible to work in the UK.

A review of our supply chain identified that 489 suppliers were used during 2019, with a combined spend of around £7.1 million. Of the supply chain 100% were located in either the UK or EU and are considered low risk. The largest 30 suppliers accounted for 89.1% of the total spend and we are endeavouring to ensure these suppliers have robust anti-slavery procedures in place.

Training

To ensure modern slavery is understood by our staff we have provided training to managers and supervisor staff to raise awareness and highlight any concerns staff may have. We cover modern slavery in our one day Arden Maidstone Induction Programme for all new starters into the business, and discuss this with contracted staff who work on the company premises regularly.

Effectiveness in Combating Modern Slavery 

No instances have been identified within our supply chain of modern slavery, so we have not considered it necessary to adopt any formal KPI’s, though we intend to keep this under review.

Approval

This statement is made under section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31 December 2019.

Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires commercial organisations to prepare a slavery and human trafficking statement for each financial year of the organisation. The statement must set out the steps that the organisation has taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains, and in any part of its own business. If the organisation has not taken any such steps, it must still publish a statement to that effect.

Managing Director   - Ross Daverson 

This statement was approved on 20th February 2020 by the organisation's Managing Director and the management team, who will review and update it annually.

Laws and Leading statutory authority relating to this document

• Modern Slavery Act 2015
• Transparency in supply chains etc: a practical guide
• Transparency in supply chains (TISC) modern slavery and human trafficking statements registry
• Modern Slavery Act statements registry
• Stronger together initiative
• Ethical trading initiative
• Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority
• Global slavery index
• Business and human rights resource centre
• International Labour Organisation: forced labour, human trafficking and slavery
• Guiding principles on business and human rights: implementing the United Nations "protect, respect and remedy" framework