Modern Slavery Statement

This statement covers the activities of Staffline Recruitment (NI) limited and Staffline Recruitment (ROI) limited. For the purpose of this document, these two entities will be classed together as ‘Staffline Ireland’.

Introduction

Staffline Ireland is committed to help in the fight against modern slavery. We have a zerotolerance approach to modern slavery and expect all who have, or seek to have, a business relationship with Staffline Ireland, to familiarise themselves with our anti-slavery and human trafficking policies and to always act in a way which is consistent with our policy and processes. 

As a people centred business, we take the issue extremely seriously and continually strive to prevent and overcome this blight on our society. Consideration and mitigation of these risks are built into our teams’ behaviours and processes via our brand values of Integrity, Collaboration, Responsiveness and Resourcefulness.

Our Business Structure

Staffline Ireland is a leading provider of Recruitment, Talent Management, Medical and HR Solutions, with an extensive and impressive client list across both public and private sectors, including many FTSE 100 companies. In 2023, Staffline placed in excess of 830 candidates in permanent jobs; up to 6,000 temporary workers per week with employers across the public and private sectors; and in 2023 our turnover exceeded £108 million in revenue. 

With 11 offices, as well as 12 onsite locations, servicing some of our key clients across the island of Ireland and directly employing 166 dedicated members of staff, Staffline provides innovative and bespoke employment solutions which improve workforce productivity and efficiency while reducing cost, focusing on ethics and best practice, while enabling clients to focus on their core business. 

The company currently enjoys the highest share of the recruitment market in Northern Ireland and is the second largest recruitment firm in the Republic of Ireland. With recent high-volume wins in 2023, Staffline has seen its presence increase dramatically over the island, with placement figures set to increase throughout 2024.

Our Policies

We have several policies in place relating to our prevention and tackling of modern slavery. to ensure that, not only are we are always providing best-in-class recruitment service and support to our employees, clients, candidates, suppliers, greater communities, and the environment, but always with our core values and ethics at the forefront. Our policies include • Preventing Hidden Labour Exploitation 

• Ethical Trading Policy 
• Worker Engagement Policy
• GDPR policy
• Privacy Policy 

We operate and enforce a strict Code of Ethics and an Equal Opportunities Policy in which we rigorously apply our basic principles of respect and fair employment for all clients and candidates with whom we interact.

Our Processes

As an ISO 9001 certified business, we implement stringent processes maintaining quality and compliance throughout our operations. Our teams are provided with regular training and updates on our quality processes to ensure compliance with legislation and with the very highest ethical standards. 

We have a dedicated Head of Compliance, with a compliance team that is due to expand in 2024 who carry out regular internal audits on our business and co-ordinates various external audits from independent organisations as well as from our clients. This ensures a regular detailed review of our processes and procedures and ongoing continuous improvement. 

From the moment a potential worker chooses to join Staffline the checks begin. These continue throughout the worker’s time with us. At the time of registration, the identification and ‘right to work’ checks are conducted. This ensures that the worker has control of their own documentation and that their job expectations are managed effectively. In addition, throughout the registration and interview process, all application forms are checked and verified as being the applicant’s own information. We also ask where they found out about Staffline and the role.

 Worker education begins at the induction stage, giving an insight into Modern Slavery. It explains why itis illegal in the UK and what the worker should do if they suspect it is happening to a colleague or they are a victim themselves. 

During their employment, regular checks are conducted on workers’ welfare in the form of surveys, worker interviews and site audits. Reports are run regularly to help prevent potential exploitation to include:

• Duplicate bank accounts
• Duplicate address (over 5)
• Duplicate email addresses
• Duplicate mobile numbers

Assessment and Management of Our Risk

Being licensed by the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) demonstrates active compliance with all underlying legislative regulations, with the most recent audit being conducted by the GLAA in 2022, with no concerns highlighted. Our memberships with both the REC and the Association of Labour Providers (ALP) facilitates ongoing testing, review and refinement of compliance procedures and allows a proactive approach to the implementation of the very highest standards of ethical and legally compliant behaviour.

As a labour provider in the supply chain, we work closely with our clients, explaining our zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking, working in conjunction with them to ensure best practice adherence. We receive regular additional audits (in accordance with our clients’ own high standards) with established independent organisations such as Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX) for the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code. We are always cognisant that our suppliers must meet and exceed the GLAA compliance standards, where applicable within the relevant supply chains, and ensure that we only align with suppliers that meet our ethical specifications

Training and Raising Awareness

As part of our commitment to ending modern slavery within our communities and beyond, we train our all our employees during their first Compliance training session on practices relating to possible gangmasters, how to identify suspicious activity or dealings of a possible gangmaster and how to report such suspicions within our business and to GLAA. In addition to the ongoing training and the regular updates and refreshment of this methodology, this information and guidance is clearly noted on our ‘red flag’ document to which each employee within Staffline Ireland has access.

Our plans for 2023

We are committed to reviewing and improving what we do each year to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking. Our 2024 initiatives will continue to build on our work and will target brands in order, as identified in our risk analysis. This year we will continue to: 

• Ensure that all frontline recruiters and site teams in all brands are aware of the tools available to them. • Implement additional refresher training for all in the business. 
• Include a dedicated hub for ‘modern slavery prevention’ on our new Staffline Intranet 
• Work with clients to provide support and guidance to limit risk 
• Work with government and NGOs to develop strategies to remove risk from the sectors we operate in 
• Increase internal awareness on identifying and reporting incidents of modern slavery and human trafficking and we will improve by: 
  • Providing reminders and training utilising technology 
  • Review our upwards supply chain to ensure Modern Slavery statements are available This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our modern slavery statement for the financial year ending December 2024 

This declaration is in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2019 for the financial year ending the 31st of December 2024

Signed on behalf of Staffline Recruitment (NI) Limited and Staffline Recruitment (ROI) limited:

Tina McKenzie, CEO