INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
We are committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking. Since the establishment of the Company, one of the key areas of focus has been how we conduct business everywhere we operate. This has not just been from a minimum compliance perspective but from asking the question, “What kind of Company do we want to be?” The answer to that question is that we want to be a Company with the highest standards of ethical behaviour and a real and demonstrable commitment to ethical behaviour. We have a global right to work policy which supports our actions to reduce the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking and supports our actions in ensuring people have the right to work in the countries in which they are engaged by HKA. We also have a spread ethics related training, including training in relation to modern slavery and an ethics hotline so colleagues have the opportunity to report any ethical concerns, including in relation to modern slavery.
ORGANISATION’S STRUCTURE
We are a global provider of advisory and consultancy services in the construction, engineering and industrial sector. We are the parent company of the HKA Global Group of Companies (Group). The Group has approximately 1,000 employees worldwide and operates in a number of countries, which are all listed on our website.
OUR BUSINESS
Our business is organised into three geographical regions: Europe, Middle East and Africa, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, and business services relating to expert services, claims and advisory.
OUR SUPPLY CHAINS
Our supply chains include independent consultants and sub-contractors of professional services. We also procure consumables and other services locally where we operate.
OUR POLICIES ON SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. Our Anti-slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains. We have also developed a Supplier Code of Conduct which specifically addresses the requirements in relation to Modern Slavery and Human trafficking.
DUE DILIGENCE PROCESSES FOR SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The majority of our supply chain is considered to be low risk, given the nature of our services and any consultants used are likely to be professionally qualified and at low risk of Modern Slavery. However, some of our suppliers, notably IT suppliers, operate in industries where there is known to be a higher risk of modern slavery practices taking place.
We engage with a number of international IT providers to source a range of IT equipment, including laptops, monitors and peripherals. The components of this equipment are often manufactured and assembled in countries where employment law protections and measures to prevent modern slavery practices are lacking in comparison to the UK.
Additionally, some of the raw materials used to manufacture these products are often sourced in areas where there is a high risk of child or forced labour, such as the mining of base metals.
In 2023 we reviewed the risk of modern slavery with the larger suppliers of these higher risk items. Our key IT suppliers, the majority of whom are significant international enterprises, in response to a questionnaire, reported on their processes and controls in place for managing the risks of modern slavery in their own organisation and in their supply chains. None of their responses caused any concerns and further, no suppliers reported any known or suspected instances of Modern Slavery in their supply chain.
TRAINING
To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we provide training to our staff.
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our Group’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31 December 2023.
Renny Borhan,
Chief Executive
HKA Global Limited
Date: 24 April 2024
