Modern Slavery Transparency Statement January 2021
At Zakery Khub Solicitors, we have zero-tolerance for modern day slavery and human trafficking both within our firm and in our supply chain.
This statement is made on behalf of Zakery Khub Solicitors pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (“the Act”) and constitutes our modern slavery and human trafficking statement.
Our Structure and Supply Chain
Zakery Khub Solicitors is a small firm and supplies legal services to the UK domestic market. We provide legal advice to private and commercial clients in the UK across the private sector. Our office is in Sheffield headed by our Managing Director, Omid Khub.
As a professional services business, we predominantly employ professionally qualified and highly skilled people. We comply with all applicable employment legislation relating to employee terms and conditions, including pay, and many of our benefits are enhanced. Within the UK, all of our employees earn at least the minimum living wage.
In our working environment, all voices are heard. Our grievance and whistleblowing processes provide clear guidance for staff on how to raise concerns and this includes concerns relating to modern slavery and human trafficking. We encourage our staff to feel empowered to call out any breaches of our policies, including any concerns related to modern slavery.
Our Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking Policy
We are committed to implementing and enforcing effective practices and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place in our firm or supply chain.
Underpinning our Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking Policy are a range of policies that outline our commitment to the identification and prevention of modern slavery in our firm and supply chain.
Our Whistleblowing Policy enables our staff to confidentially report any concerns relating to modern day slavery, human trafficking, or human rights violations, and gives assurance that these concerns will be dealt with appropriately.
Our Diversity and Inclusion Policy encourages all our employees and partners to value diversity and respect each person’s individuality, and to ensure that no partner, employee, agency worker, contractor, self-employed consultant, job applicant or ex-employee, client or third party receives less favourable treatment based on colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sexuality, gender, disability, age, religion or belief.
Our Anti-bribery Policy and training programme sets out the firm’s rules and what is expected of our employees, partners, contractors and third-party service providers in all dealings on our behalf.
We are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our employees. We provide free access to support, confidential advice and assistance on matters which include workplace concerns or issues.
Due Diligence and Risk Assessment
We are committed to improving our practices to enable us to identify and eradicate any modern slavery or human trafficking within our supply chain. We continue to undertake and finalise our firm’s wide risk assessment, clearly mapping the firm’s supply chain across multiple tiers and identifying potential touchpoints for modern slavery. The results of this assessment shape our future due diligence processes and we will focus our attention on the highest risk areas identified to ensure that our obligations under the Act continue to be met. We have ongoing engagement with our suppliers to seek reassurance about their compliance with the legislation.
Our Managing Director has the day-to-day responsibility in relation to our supply chain and for implementing this policy; monitoring its use and effecting any changes that are required to deal with any queries; and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering modern slavery. We ensure that individuals reporting to us understand and comply with our Policy.
Reported Incidents
There have been no reported incidents of modern slavery or human trafficking during the financial year April 2019 to March 2020. If any concerns were to be raised, then a full investigation would be carried out and appropriate action taken in accordance with our policies and procedures.
Training
Our Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking Policy applies to all persons working for and on behalf of Zakery Khub Solicitors. All persons have an explicit responsibility for adhering to the policy. The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery both within our firm or supply chain is the responsibility of all those working for us including employees and third parties. All staff (employees and consultants) have been made aware of the firm’s Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking Policy and the Policy is available on the intranet for all staff to access. We seek to raise awareness of issues surrounding modern day slavery and human trafficking and we will be planning compulsory refresher training for all staff.
Further Steps
As part of our ongoing review of the firm’s wide risk assessment, we continually monitor our procurement process and will be introducing specific measures to ensure that our obligations under the Act are passed through our supply chain. These include:
- A requirement for all suppliers to confirm that they comply with all anti-slavery laws and that they have effective procedures and controls in place to ensure that their business and supply chain is free from slavery or human trafficking; and
- Reviewing our training programme for key stakeholders such as those involved with procurement or business services and making recommendations for improvements.
Responsibility
The firm’s Managing Director, Mr Omid Khub has responsibility for overseeing the effective implementation of our Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking Policy.
To date, no issues have been raised.
This statement relates to our business activities to January 2021.
