Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
This Statement sets out the steps that Daniel Thwaites PLC has continued to take during its financial year ending 31 March 2023 to ensure that modern-day slavery and human trafficking does not occur in the organisation or in its supply chains.
Our Business and Organisational Structure
Daniel Thwaites PLC is one of the UK’s longest established family brewers, with a strong regional presence in the North of England. The Company has an estate of approximately 250 freehold properties, comprising tenanted pubs, inns and hotels & spas which are all located in the UK.
The Company employs approximately 1,600 employees and works with a large number of suppliers across its supply chain.
The directors run the business through a strong set of principles which create a cultural thread throughout the Company. The success of the Company, in no small part, relies on the partnerships and relationships that we form at all levels, be it with our employees, our customers, our suppliers or any of the other groups that we interact with – and so it has been for all of our 216 year history.
As a Board we have a duty to run the business in such a way that balances the interests and considerations of all of our stakeholders and to promote the business for the benefit of our members. In governing and directing the business with the interests of our members in mind, we must however consider the interests of our employees, how we manage the ongoing success of our relations and dealings with customers and suppliers and ensure that we have an eye to our communities and the impact that our business has on the environment. An overriding concern is also of course understanding how we maintain, protect and grow our reputation that has been so carefully built up over more than two centuries.
Policies on Slavery and Human Trafficking
Governed by the principles set out above Daniel Thwaites PLC is committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking within any part of its business nor within its supply chains. The Company acknowledges responsibility to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and will ensure transparency within the organisation and with suppliers of goods and services to the business.
The Company will not support or deal with any business knowingly involved in slavery or human trafficking.
Supply Chain
The Company’s supply chain includes a range of over two thousand suppliers. The principal suppliers are involved in the sourcing of raw materials, principally related to the provision of food and drink. Our main drinks suppliers for the provision of beers, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks are large multinational breweries including Molson Coors, Heineken and Carlsberg Marstons; Carlsberg Marstons is our distribution partner. Our food is sourced as far as possible from UK producers, butchers and fruit and vegetable merchants. Our dry goods are sourced through a local distributor. Whilst products are sourced both nationally and internationally, the point of contact is always with a UK based company or branch, and the Company expects them to have processes in place to ensure there is no modern slavery or human trafficking within their business, each of these suppliers has a clear stance on modern slavery that is aligned to our own.
The Company is committed to ensuring as far as it possibly can, that its supply chain is free from modern slavery or human trafficking.
Due Diligence Process
Daniel Thwaites PLC is committed to building long-standing relationships with local suppliers and tenants and makes it very clear that it expects its suppliers and tenants to be committed to ensuring there is no modern slavery or human trafficking within their businesses. Daniel Thwaites expects as a minimum each entity in our supply chains to adopt “one-up” due diligence on the next link in the chain. It also seeks to include in our arrangements with suppliers a right to suspend or terminate our arrangements with them where we have reasonable grounds to suspect that there has been a breach of the 2015 Act. When appointing new suppliers, the Company carries out risk assessments and makes appropriate enquiries before it seeks to sign them up to its standard terms and conditions, which include a requirement that the supplier complies with the requirements of the 2015 Act.
When recruiting new employees Daniel Thwaites undertakes due diligence to verify all new employees are eligible to work in the UK. Daniel Thwaites pays its employees on or above the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, relevant to their age and the majority of employees are remunerated in excess of these amounts. For younger employees under the age of 21 Daniel Thwaites pays enhanced rates of pay that are above the national minimum wage for young people. Where agency staff are employed, the Company mandates the suppliers of our hospitality agency staff to check all employees are eligible to work in the UK. The Company operates a Sponsorship License to employ and bring in employees from overseas and complies with the relevant legislation such that these individuals are not exploited.
Where the Company provides staff accommodation rates of accommodation rent are set either in line with Inland Revenue Guidance or by reference to market rates.
The Company maintains a whistleblowing policy to encourage members of staff to report concerns about wrongdoing and which offers suitable protection for whistle-blowers both in relation to Modern slavery and any other wrongdoing.
Effective actions to address modern slavery
This coming year we intend to continue to ensure that each employee is eligible to work in the UK before commencing employment. We will verify that our employees are earning, at a minimum, at or above the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage, relevant to their age. We will enable our operations managers and directors to monitor working hours of each employee. We will ensure each new material supplier is aware of our zero-tolerance stance and our expectations of them in this regard and request details of any modern slavery and human trafficking discovered in their supply chains and the actions they have taken, in addition to distributing this statement to all new permanent suppliers. We will provide training to relevant employees and workers within our business.
Management Responsibility
The Company directors and senior management take responsibility for compliance and are provided with appropriate resource, training and investment to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place within the business.
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes Daniel Thwaites PLC slavery and human trafficking statement for the current financial year that started on 1 April 2022 and ended on 31 March 2023. It was approved by our Board of Directors on 6 June 2023 and signed on its behalf by
R. A. J. Bailey
Executive Chairman
6 June 2023
