EVRI (TRADING AS HERMES PARCELNET LIMITED)

Modern Slavery Statement 2021/22

Organisation structure and supply chain

This statement is made by Hermes Parcelnet Limited, now known as Evri. It is a statement made in accordance with Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and covers the financial year from 1 March 2021 to 28 February 2022. The statement also refers to activity we will be taking during our 2022/23 financial year.

Evri is the UK’s leading consumer delivery specialist handling more than 640 million parcels each year. We have over 6,500 employees and operate a network of over 18,000 self-employed couriers, 32 parcel processing sites, c.500 delivery units and over 8,500 ParcelShops and lockers.

Evri works with a wide range of businesses in the UK from leading high street and online retailers to SMEs and micro-sellers. We also deliver for consumers through our www.evri.com website.

We engage a range of third-party suppliers to provide goods, services and labour to us (our “Suppliers”). These Suppliers include suppliers of fleet vehicles, parcel sortation equipment, mobile scanning hardware and software and cloud-based technology as well as warehouse workers and HGV drivers via agencies.

We also engage self-employed individuals to provide courier services on our behalf such as our final mile couriers, those who operate ParcelShops and/or provide delivery unit operational services (collectively, our “Services Providers”).

We are committed to the sustainable development of our business in a way that reconciles economic success with the social wellbeing of individuals that are employed by us or are involved in the provision of services to us.

We understand that slavery, human trafficking, servitude and forced labour (“Modern Slavery”) is a global and increasing challenge for governments and business.

Policies and Contractual Terms on Slavery and Human Trafficking

We recognise our responsibility to be aware of the risk of modern slavery within our own organisation and supply chain.

In 2016 we introduced a Code of Conduct (“the Code”) which was updated in 2021.

The Code acts as the cornerstone of our Social Compliance strategy which includes audits, complaints procedure and a whistleblowing process and is based on ethical, moral and legal principles providing a framework for all that we do.

Our Suppliers and Service Providers can expect us to comply with the law, observe ethical standards and act as a fair business partner. In turn, we expect our Suppliers and Service Providers to apply the same standards. We make an unambiguous commitment in the Code to treat our Service Providers and suppliers with dignity and respect.

The Code defines what modern slavery means and makes clear that it is prohibited in our operations and supply chain. Evri and our employees will not engage in, facilitate or fail to report any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of our Code in this respect. Likewise, our Suppliers and Service Providers must not engage in, facilitate or fail to report any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of those principles.

The Code includes a complaints procedure under which alleged breaches of the Code can be raised and will then be investigated.

There is also a companywide modern slavery policy, updated in 2022, which sets out our commitment to ensuring transparency in our business and our approach to tackling modern slavery.

All new employees undergo all the legally required pre-employment checks to ensure identity is correct and that there is the full right to work in the UK and are all paid the National Living Wage or above, regardless of age.

Due diligence processes

To seek to prevent slavery and trafficking in our business and supply chains we send a copy of our Code of Conduct to any company applying to work with Evri through a formal tender process. The Code forms a part of the contract we have with Suppliers and our contracts include an obligation to comply with the Code.

We would eliminate from a tender process any company who does not share our values and who chooses not to sign up to the Code as part of a contract.

New third-party relationships are subject to specific questioning regarding compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Code; and we have modified our procurement procedures to address the risk of slavery and trafficking.

Training on modern slavery and trafficking

All staff are required to complete mandatory online training to ensure they are aware of modern slavery and know the signs to look out for in identifying it.

On top of the mandatory online testing for all employees, we have worked with the Slave Free Alliance to develop more detailed and specific training for those employees within our operation who are engaging with self-employed Service Providers daily.

Performance in 2020/21:

  • Continued our membership of the Slave Free Alliance (SFA), a social enterprise and membership initiative, to provide advice and support for businesses working towards a slave free supply chain.
  • Worked with the Slave Free Alliance on a gap analysis of Evri’s policies and processes designed to prevent modern slavery. This process included in depth interviews with Evri staff from HR, procurement and legal, document sharing and a detailed questionnaire. The exercise highlighted areas where we could improve our ways of working.
  • Following the gap analysis, we developed a working group to implement recommendations made by the Slave Free Alliance.
  • Contracted an external law firm to conduct a review of the Code of Conduct, rolling out a new, updated version throughout the business.
  • Completion of the online modern slavery training increased from 49% in the previous year (2020/21) to 79%. This increase is, in part, due to the use of a new online portal making it easier to track completion.
  • Implemented processes within our labour supply agencies to ensure robust checks are carried out on new workers including highlighting if the same contact details (telephone number, address) have been used for more than one individual, which may highlight modern slavery concerns as well as duplication of bank account details to ensure wages are not being paid into one account for several workers.
  • Reviewed the modern slavery online training for all employees with the Slave Free Alliance to check suitability for all staff. As a result, we will develop training aimed specifically at operational staff.
  • Contracted specialist external auditors to audit the delivery unit network and identify any signs of modern slavery.

During 2022/23 we plan to:

  • Update our modern slavery and human trafficking policy, with support from the Slave Free Alliance and promote the new policy throughout the business, demonstrating how seriously Evri takes this issue.
  • Develop a robust process for reporting modern slavery concerns, setting out how concerns will be handled internally and will be escalated to appropriate external agencies and communicate this to staff.
  • Use specialist auditors to audit Evri sites for compliance with the Code of Conduct. Alongside this where a site is owned and run by a third-party contractor, we will audit those sites to assess compliance with the Code. Any issues would be flagged as a matter of urgent priority to the relevant board level director to ensure action is taken immediately.
  • Undertake a full review of procurement ‘health check’ carried out by the Slave Free Alliance, to check we have robust processes in place this will cover, but is not limited to: onboarding new suppliers, ensuring appropriate right to work checks are conducted by labour agencies, conducting checks to ensure suppliers are complying with our Code of Conduct.
  • Ensure all Service Providers have completed a right to work check as part of their onboarding process.
  • Introduce new and updated modern slavery training which includes learning tailored for operational staff based in sites most likely to have temporary labour which could pose a higher risk.
  • Continue our membership and working relationship with the Slave Free Alliance, running policies, processes and communications by them to ensure we are up to date with legislative and any other changes.

This Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement is hereby approved by the Executive Committee of Hermes Parcelnet Limited.

Carl Lyon

COO

01 August 2022