Modern slavery has been legally abolished in most countries around the world but remains a real issue today. It affects businesses and supply chains across economies and sectors and generally relates to holding a person in servitude for the purpose of forced labor or arranging or facilitating human trafficking. Oxford Impact Group (OIG) modern slavery and human trafficking statements in this policy to comply with requirements of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act (“the Acts”).
We oppose slavery and human trafficking in all its forms and make this statement to set out the steps we have taken to ensure that slavery or human trafficking is not taking place in our business or in our supply chains. The intention of this policy is to set out how OIG address modern slavery and human trafficking across its business and supply chain.
Although we are not required to make a modern slavery statement or policy under the Act, OIG is choosing to voluntarily comply as we believe it is incumbent upon all organizations to do what they can to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking.
Structure and supply chains
Oxford Impact Group (OIG) is one of the world’s leading global sustainability consultancy firms and is committed to always operating in a manner which complies with relevant legislation, is ethical and is equitable to all of its stakeholders. As a professional services firm, we also procure goods and services from third parties. This policy focuses on the key suppliers of our goods and services, which is a part of our internal procurement function, and other business functions dealing with suppliers.
Policies and governance
OIG has committed to respect and promote human rights and social principles in all our operations, including work with business partners and supply chains. This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, interns, agents, contractors, external consultants, third-party representatives, and business partners.
OIG’ commitment is laid out in our sustainability policy, championed by our employees. We aim to implement responsible action according to the Guiding Principles for Business introduced by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011. We are committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chains, consistent with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We expect the same high standards from all our contractors, suppliers and other business partners. We expect that our suppliers will hold their own suppliers to the same high standards.
Ownership and responsibility
This policy is owned by the CEO of the OIG and applies to all OIG employees, partners, and suppliers. The OIG operational Board is responsible for implementing this policy, monitoring its use and effectiveness, and dealing with any queries about it.
Here at Oxford Impact Group (OIG), we take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to provide the information, products or services you have requested from us.
Where we process personal information for purposes which are not directly to comply with our contractual obligations, we [generally] do so for certain legitimate business purposes. Whenever we process data for these purposes, we will always ensure that we give your personal data rights due consideration and hold them in the highest regard.
Some of the third-party systems we use to communicate with you may utilize ‘Cookie Policy cookies’ to collect personal information. We are working with our suppliers to ensure that this is done in compliance with the data protection legislation. No OIG-owned products collect personal data (such as names and email addresses,) in cookies but we do store other information necessary to ensure data security and session continuity. However, some of the software products we use or maintain on behalf of others, may collect personal data. We are in contact with these suppliers and our clients to ensure that each of these products is GDPR-compliant and covered by its own privacy statement.
From time to time, we would like to contact you with details of other webinars, events, products and services we offer. Don’t worry, we will never pass your information on to anyone outside of the OIG unless the law requires us to do so or where we are acting as a data processor and our client (the data controller) requires us to do so.
Risk assessment and due diligence
OIG aims to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking across its business activities by identifying any existing issues or risks related to it as well as managing and mitigating those. All of those working for us or under our control are responsible for preventing, detecting and reporting any existing or potential issues of modern slavery and human trafficking at OIG and across its supply chains. Employees and suppliers are encouraged to raise any concerns about any issues or suspicion of modern slavery within the OIG business operations or any tier of our supply chain as soon as they become aware of it. Whilst we have not identified any occurrences of modern slavery, we have done risk assessments and have identified the following key processes to influence and manage any potential risk of modern slavery and human trafficking within our business and supply chains:
We encourage everyone within the business to raise genuine concerns in good faith under this policy regardless of whether these may turn out to be mistaken. No members of staff may be punished, dismissed or be subject to any form of detriment for having taken an initiative that falls within the scope for the Whistleblowing procedures. We will terminate our relationship with individuals, suppliers, and organizations working on our behalf who breach this policy.
Communication and training
All new employees and temporary workers are made aware of this policy as part of the OIG induction process, and specific awareness training concerning modern slavery and human trafficking risks is provided. Equally, this policy is communicated to all OIG suppliers, contractors and business partners at the start of a business relationship or renewal of a contract.
This policy is reviewed and, if required, updated on an annual basis.
Last modified: April 4, 2024