A) ORGANISATION
This statement applies to Secto Services (referred to in this statement as ‘the Organisation’). The information included in the statement refers to the financial year 2021.
B) ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
Secto Services is based in Kildare, Ireland. All Head Office employees either work there or in our stores, based in Athlone, Ireland. Field staff work all over the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland and base themselves from either Kildare or Athlone. We currently do not operate outside of Ireland.
The organisation is run by a Board of Directors, made up of the two company owners; Patrick Jordan and Connor Flanagan. Connor is also employed as the CEO for the organisation. There is a senior management team in place to manage the day-to-day and strategic operations and they report to the Board on a monthly basis.
Secto delivers integrated planning, design, build and commissioning of advanced communication networks, civil engineering, contract staffing and utilities projects across a range of sectors and customers. Demand for our services is consistently high throughout the year and is therefore not seasonal.
The labour supplied to Secto in pursuance of its operation is carried out solely in the Republic of Ireland.
C) DEFINITIONS
The organisation considers that modern slavery encompasses:
- Human trafficking.
- Forced work, through mental or physical threat.
- Being owned or controlled by an employer through mental or physical abuse of the threat of abuse.
- Being dehumanised, treated as a commodity or being bought or sold as property.
- Being physically constrained or to have restrictions placed on freedom of movement.
D) COMMITMENT
Secto acknowledges its responsibilities in relation to tackling modern slavery. We understand that this requires an ongoing review of both its internal practices in relation to its labour force and, additionally, its supply chains.
Secto does not enter into business with any other organisation, in the Republic of Ireland or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to involve itself in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.
No labour provided to the organsiation in the pursuance of the provision of its own services is obtained by means of slavery or human trafficking. Secto strictly adheres to the minimum standards required in relation to its responsibilities under relevant employment legislation in Ireland and in many cases, exceeds those minimums in relation to our employees.
E) SUPPLY CHAINS
In order to fulfil its activities, the organisation’s main supply chains include those related to the provision of subcontracted labour from various suppliers in the Republic of Ireland. We also work with a number of suppliers to provide personal protective equipment and health and safety training. We understand that our first tier suppliers are intermediary traders and therefore have further contract relationships with lower-tier suppliers.
We also have an agreement with the Construction Workers Union who represent our employees, both field and office based for both collective and individual bargaining.
F) POTENTIAL EXPOSURE
Secto considers its main exposure to the risk of slavery and human trafficking to exist with the sub-contractors who supply labour resources, however, protection against breaches of human rights are strong in Ireland.
In general, we consider our exposure to slavery/human trafficking to be extremely limited. Nonetheless, we have taken steps to ensure that such practices do not take place in our business nor the business of any organisation that supplies goods and/or services to us.
G) STEPS
Secto carries out due diligence processes in relation to ensuring slavery and/or human trafficking does not take place in its organisation or supply chains, including conducting a review of the controls of its suppliers.
Secto has not, to its knowledge, conducted any business with another organisation which has been found to have involved itself with modern slavery.
We have taken the following steps to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place and that we operate a zero-tolerance approach towards it:
- Agreement with each of our subcontractors, upon their induction to the organisation, that they abide by our modern safety statement.
- Ongoing audits of our sub-contractors on site, that will highlight any causes for concern in relation to modern slavery.
- Annual review of our supplier contracts to include termination powers in the event that the supplier is, or is suspected, to be involved in modern slavery.
H) TRAINING
Secto provides the following training to staff to effectively implement its stance on modern slavery:
- Induction training for all new employees
- An annual reminder of the policy to all employees
I) SLAVERY COMPLIANCE OFFICER
Secto has a HR Manager, to whom all concerns regarding modern slavery should be addressed in confidence, and who will then undertake relevant action with regard to Secto’s obligations in this regard.