Modern Slavery Statement

Organisation:

Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing & Hounslow Mind (HFEH Mind)

Financial Year:

2025/2026

Organisation Structure

HFEH Mind is one of over 100 Mind Associations in the Mind federation. We are an independent charity with our own governance processes and an experienced Board of Trustees. We have signed up to the Mind Federation agreement, requiring us to comply with high ethical and quality standards.

We have achieved the Mind Quality Mark, most recently in 2021, winning an award for promoting positive attitudes to mental health. Our practices will be reviewed again in 2025/2026, demonstrating our commitment to delivering safe, effective support for the communities we serve.

As of August 2025, we have 106 employees, approximately 20 bank staff, and 35 volunteers delivering services across our boroughs. These services include supporting adults, children, and young people, as well as providing wellbeing support in the workplace.

Our commitment to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015

We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our activities. Although we are not legally required under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to publish a statement, we choose to do so as part of our commitment to safeguarding human rights and preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in all forms.

We recognise that modern slavery can take many forms, including forced labour, debt bondage, human trafficking, and exploitation. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery and will not enter into business with any organisation, in the UK or abroad, which knowingly supports or is involved in such practices.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to creating and maintaining a non-discriminatory and respectful working environment for our staff. We want all staff to feel confident that they can raise concerns without any risk to themselves. Our recruitment and people management processes are designed to ensure that all prospective employees are legally entitled to work in the UK and are protected from any abuse or coercion.

Our Supply Chains

Due to the nature of our work, we assess ourselves to have a low risk of modern slavery in our business and supply chains. Our supply chains are limited, and we procure goods and services from a small range of UK-based suppliers, including providers of printing, training, and office supplies.

We remain vigilant and expect all suppliers to operate ethically and in compliance with UK laws. Where appropriate, we seek written confirmation from suppliers of their compliance with anti-slavery legislation.

Risk Assessment and Due Diligence

We periodically review the nature and location of our suppliers’ operations to assess risk. This includes:

  • Reviewing whether suppliers are required to publish a Modern Slavery Statement under UK law.
  • Checking publicly available information and ethical ratings where relevant.
  • Considering country and sector risk based on Home Office and NGO guidance.

We take the following steps to address and reduce potential risks:

  • Choosing reputable suppliers and contractors with clear ethical standards, with compliance to ethics carrying significant weight in procurement decisions.
  • Including contractual clauses requiring compliance with anti-slavery and human trafficking laws where appropriate.
  • Investigating and acting upon any concerns raised.

Our policies in relation to the Modern Slavery Act 2015

The following policies are available to all staff through the HFEH Mind intranet:

  • Diversity and inclusion policy.
  • Safer Recruitment and selection policy.
  • Children and Adults Safeguarding Policies.
  • Whistleblowing policy.
  • Ethical Fundraising policy to prevent acceptance of donations from companies with a poor reputation or ethical practices.
  • Financial procedures manual which highlights process for procuring services from reputable suppliers with a good ethical track record.

Training and Awareness

We raise awareness among staff, trustees, and volunteers about the risks of modern slavery through:

  • Mandatory Modern Slavery and safeguarding training.
  • Operational meetings and internal communications.
  • Clear guidance on how to identify and report concerns.

Measuring Effectiveness

We monitor our effectiveness in combating modern slavery by:

  • Ensuring 100% completion rates for mandatory Modern Slavery and safeguarding training.
  • Reviewing all supplier contracts every three-years for compliance clauses.
  • Tracking and recording any concerns raised and actions taken.

Future Commitments

In the next 12 months, we will:

  • Request formal modern slavery compliance confirmations from all new suppliers.
  • Update our contract templates to include enhanced anti-slavery clauses.
  • Review and strengthen our supplier onboarding and risk assessment process.

Reporting Concerns 
If any staff member, volunteer, supplier, or member of the public has concerns about potential modern slavery connected to our work, we encourage them to report it via our Safeguarding or Whistleblowing procedures. All concerns will be treated seriously, investigated, and addressed promptly.

Approval 

This statement was approved by the Board of Trustees on the 9th August 2025 and will be reviewed annually.