Modern Slavery Statement for Hedge Trimming and Hedge Maintenance Services

Our commitment to responsible hedge trimming is unwavering. This modern slavery statement outlines how our hedge trimming services and hedge maintenance operations recognise the risks of forced labour, human trafficking and exploitation in landscaping and hedgerow care. We operate a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery, and we communicate this standard to all staff, contractors and hedge-cutting suppliers.

We confirm that preventing exploitation is a core business priority and that our policies apply across all areas of hedge care and pruning activity. Our policy framework is designed to meet legal obligations and to reflect best practice, embedding human rights due diligence into procurement, field operations and contractual relationships.

This statement describes the controls we use to reduce risk in our supply chain, our supplier audits approach, available reporting channels for concerns, and our commitment to an annual review of effectiveness. It applies to all direct employees and third-party providers who deliver hedge trimming, hedge maintenance and related groundskeeping services.

Zero-tolerance policy: we maintain a zero-tolerance policy on modern slavery across all our hedge trimming operations. Any evidence of forced labour, deceptive recruitment, withholding of wages, or coercive practices will result in immediate remedial action, up to termination of contracts and removal of individuals from sites. We require all contractors and subcontractors to adhere to explicit anti-slavery clauses in contracts supporting ethical hedge-cutting and hedgerow work.

Supplier audits and due diligence form a cornerstone of our prevention strategy. We conduct risk-based assessments of suppliers, prioritising those who supply manual labour for hedge trimming, seasonal pruning teams and subcontracted hedge maintenance crews. Audits include document checks, site visits, interviews, and verification of working conditions, pay records and right-to-work documentation where applicable.

To support these audits we use a combination of desktop screening, on-site inspections and third-party assurance providers. Audit findings trigger action plans: immediate remediation for urgent harms, contractual sanctions for serious breaches and enhanced monitoring for higher-risk suppliers. We also encourage continuous improvement through training and capacity building for suppliers doing hedge-care work.

Reporting channels: we provide multiple, confidential reporting channels for employees, contractors and members of the public to raise concerns about modern slavery in hedge-trimming activities. Reports can be made anonymously through our whistleblowing helpline, via designated internal compliance officers, or through an independently managed reporting platform. All reports are handled promptly, investigated thoroughly and treated with confidentiality and non-retaliation.

Responsibilities and training: senior management are responsible for ensuring policy enforcement across all hedge-cutting projects and maintenance contracts. We deliver regular training to site teams, supervisors and procurement staff to help them spot signs of exploitation in hedge maintenance and to understand reporting procedures. We emphasise the importance of worker welfare in all operational briefings and contract rollouts.

Monitoring and continuous improvement: we maintain key performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of anti-slavery measures in our hedge trimming supply chain. These include the number of supplier audits completed, instances of non-compliance identified, remediation actions taken and the uptake of training sessions by contractors. We publish summary outcomes internally to drive accountability.

Key actions and commitments:

• Embed anti-slavery contractual clauses in all hedge maintenance and hedge trimming agreements
• Perform regular, risk-based supplier audits and follow-up assessments
• Provide accessible and confidential reporting channels for concerns
• Offer targeted training on recognising exploitation during hedge-cutting work
• Take decisive action—including termination—against suppliers found in breach

Annual review: we commit to an annual review of this modern slavery statement and our prevention measures, specifically in relation to hedge trimming and grounds maintenance services. The review will assess policy effectiveness, audit results, incident response outcomes and changes in risk profile. Findings will inform updates to training, supplier engagement and contractual requirements.

By maintaining a proactive stance, combining a clear zero-tolerance policy, robust supplier audits, secure reporting channels and regular annual reviews, we strive to eliminate the risk of modern slavery from our hedge trimming and hedge maintenance operations and to promote ethical practices across the sector.