Advania UK Group Modern Slavery Statement’

Advania UK Group Activities

Advania UK Group is a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider with key employee bases in the UK, the U.S. and South Africa, servicing customers’ needs across the world. We undertake a wide range of IT engagements including Cloud Technology Services, Managed Support Services, Strategy, Transformation and Adoption Consulting, Service Integration and Management. We vet and carefully select the organisations we work with in the creation of supply chains to deliver optimal outcomes to our customers.

Advania UK Group Commitment

At Advania we make technology work so people can do great things. Those things include collaborating with our colleagues, stakeholders, customers, and technology partners to improve the environment, enable a positive social impact and operate in a more sustainable, inclusive and ethical world.

We are dedicated to a work environment that is free from human trafficking, slavery and forced or compulsory labour in both our own operations and our supply chains. Our commitment to environmental and social responsibility and our respect for human rights is reflected in the values and high standards of ethics expressed in the Code of Conduct (our code of business conduct and ethics), as well as in other policies and employment practices throughout the Company. These business cultural standards remain at the core of every decision we make, including our supply chain. We are committed to continuous improvement in all our approaches. Our approaches are subject to regular review and validation.

Advania UK Group Operational Measures and Controls

The Advania UK Group has policies and processes related to recruitment and allocation of activities that adopts the ethical standards outlined in our Code of Code. We provide regular training for our workers, which includes Modern Slavery awareness.

We have procedures for reporting violations of law in relations to modern slavery and a Whistle Blowing platform (Whistleb) for workers to report anonymously any violations of the Advania UK Code of Conduct, or other policies by coworkers and other third parties, including suppliers.

Risks of Modern Slavery

Due to the nature of our business, internal controls including policies, processes, training and the high skill nature of the people who work for Advania UK Group, we consider our business to be at a low risk of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Advania UK Group Supply Chain Measures & Controls

We operate robust processes in relation to supplier selection and subsequent reviews. Our approach is detailed below. As a reseller rather than a manufacturer, we also expect our suppliers to monitor their supply chains:

  • Supply chain policies, procedures, review methodology

    • Onboarding Questionnaire
    • Worldcheck Screening
    • Supplier code of conduct
    • Validation of suppliers’ own policies and statements

  • Risk assessment criteria (identifying higher risk territories and utilising information from external sources)

  • Periodic review of any higher risk suppliers

We hold our suppliers to account to operate their businesses in compliance with all applicable laws, including those related to employment and labour, and to maintain lawful environmental, health and safety practices that meet or exceed all applicable laws and standards. We retain the right to discontinue our relationship with any of our suppliers or business partners who do not comply with any law or labour standard.

Advania UK Group Supplier Code of Conduct

Our Supplier Code of Conduct addresses the following areas of conduct:

  1. Laws and regulations
  2. Human rights
  3. Freedom of association and right to collective bargaining
  4. Discrimination and harassment
  5. Forced labour and child labour
  6. Right to reasonable pay and working hours
  7. Health & Safety in the workplace
  8. Environmental protection
  9. Ethical and transparent behaviour in business activities

Our Code of Conduct is shared with our suppliers and forms part of our onboarding. Anyone who has concerns is encouraged to use one of the feedback channels inc Whistleb. We reserve the right to terminate any agreements with partners that incur multiple violations or elect not to comply with our expectations for good conduct.

Continual Improvement regime and future growth

We operate a Continual Improvement programme which forms part of our ISO 9001 Certification (Advania UK was certified during the reporting year and at the date of signature of this statement). Our audit activities challenge the existing measures and approaches so that we enhance our position to oppose modern slavery.

We conduct a perennial, anonymous employee survey across the group which allows and prompts employees to speak out in in the event of any concerns regarding their welfare or the welfare of others. These comments are monitored by HR and the respective leadership teams.
As part of the Advania Group at Advania UK we strive to improve our contributions through our environmental, social and governance (ESG) sustainability programmes which form part of our day-to-day activities and business culture. Further information is available in our Sustainability Report 2022.

This statement fulfils the requirements of Section 54 (Transparency in supply chains) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and covers the financial year January 2024 to December 2024.

 

 

Geoff Kneen CEO on behalf of the Advania UK Group
Date: 18/01/2024