Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Our Business
Mellors Catering Services, is a family business, established in 1840 as a local bakery, and now offer a bespoke service to staff restaurants, schools and colleges across the North. We are entrusted to provide an excellent catering service to our customers using tailored menus to meet the tastes and dietary requirements of our customers.

Although Mellors as an employer are under the legal threshold for providing a statement on Modern Slavery Act 2015, we believe it is good due diligence to provide a company statement.

We operate more than 300 sites across the North and Midlands within the Contract Catering sector; employing over 1800 employees. Our head office is based in Skelmersdale near Wigan.

Our supply chain is extensive across the food and farming industry; it is therefore imperative that we, to the best of our ability, ensure that no one within our company or our supply chain engages in any activity relating to the slavery or human trafficking of any individual. We are committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking.

Mellors Catering Services Expectations

• We ensure that all staff directly employed by our company do so at their own free-will and understand that they can cease their employment at any time under the terms of their employment contract.
• We compensate all staff directly employed by our company with wages and benefits packages that meet or exceed statutory minimum requirements.
• We abide by the Working Time Directive, unless staff directly employed by our company voluntarily choose to opt-out (within the limitations imposed by the Working Time Directive).

Expectation of Our Suppliers

• Suppliers are required to certify that they do not engage in slavery or human trafficking, or any activity associated with these offences.
• Any new supplier entering into a contract or tendering for work with Mellors Catering Services has to provide us with details of their policies on slavery and human trafficking, as well as providing assurances that they, or anyone within their own supply chain, do not engage in slavery or human trafficking, or any activity associated with these offences.

Policy
Mellors Catering Services has a zero tolerance policy on slavery and human trafficking within its business and supply chains. Our policy is applicable to all employees, including temporary workers under contract. We expect all 3rd parties who act on our behalf, to abide by this policy. Our policy on slavery and human trafficking can be viewed on our website at www.mellorscatering.co.uk

Audit
Although we consider our business as ‘low risk’ in relation to the threat of slavery and human trafficking offences being committed, we will carry out compliance audits on an appropriate sample size on a regular basis.

Staff Training
We offer training in the form of annual training briefs on slavery and human trafficking to all employees. This training forms part of our induction process for all new starters. We also require our business partners to provide training to their employees and suppliers and providers.

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act.

Mark Timmerman
1st August 2024