Coventry University Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

(in compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015)

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

This statement sets out Coventry University's commitment to combating modern slavery and human trafficking. We continuously strive to improve our practices, ensuring details from previous statements remain relevant and act as a control mechanism for our global supply chains.

Coventry University is firmly committed to complying with the Modern Slavery Act of 2015. The University will only support suppliers and businesses who demonstrate adherence to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Recognising our responsibility within the global market, Coventry University implements a robust set of procedures to mitigate the risk of engaging with non-compliant businesses or suppliers. The Procurement Team has already incorporated the following measures into our processes.

• All Procurement Team members have undergone training on preventing modern slavery and human trafficking. CIPS-qualified members must undertake the CIPS Ethics Test to maintain their Chartered Status.
• We use the government Supplier Selection Questionnaire which requires relevant potential suppliers to evidence and confirm compliance with the annual reporting requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
• We have implemented a Procurement Sustainability Policy that incorporates a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) action plan. This initiative will further strengthen our commitment to ethical sourcing.
• We have incorporated questions on a supplier's Modern Slavery compliance into our regular Supplier Review Meetings, fostering deeper dialogue and transparency.

In addition to the measures outlined above ongoing efforts include:

• We continue to support existing suppliers in using the NETpositive Supplier Engagement Tool.
• We are actively using Category strategies to streamline our supplier base, reducing the number of businesses we collaborate with, thereby enhancing overall control.
• The Procurement Team requires all potential suppliers to use the NETpositive Supplier Engagement Tool. This proactive approach assesses risk and promotes transparency within our supply chain.
• Procurement conducts regular (monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly) Supplier Review Meetings. Discussions with suppliers delve into their supply chain activities and compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
• The Procurement Team actively works with Public Sector approved consortia who share our commitment to ethical sourcing practices aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This collaboration strengthens our overall efforts.
• The Procurement Team encourages the use of pre-approved and framework suppliers to minimise risks. This helps reduce partnering with businesses who do not have secured supply chains Coventry University reserves the right to suspend trading with any supplier who fails to provide evidence of necessary measures to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking.

Potential areas of risk in supply chains include:

• Externally funded research projects
• Science, Technical, Engineering Goods and Services
• Corporate Services (Travel and Hospitality)
• ICT Equipment & Services
• Estates Goods & Services
• Academic Services (warehouse and packaging risk)

This statement was approved by the Group Leadership Team on 26 June 2024 and will be reviewed at least once annually.

If you have any questions, please contact procurement@coventry.ac.uk