Modern slavery and human trafficking statement

The John Innes Centre is an independent, world leading international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology.  Our mission is to generate knowledge of plants and microbes through innovative research, to apply knowledge to benefit agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, to train scientists for the future and engage with policy makers and the public.

We are a truly international organisation, employing staff from more than 40 countries. Our culture is inclusive and equitable. We were the first institution to hold an Athena Swan Gold award.

In the pursuit of excellence, it is our responsibility to ensure that our research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards. We provide a research environment that is underpinned by a culture of integrity and based on good governance, best practice and support for the development of researchers.

John Innes staff recruitment policies ensure that employees are legally entitled to work in UK with the necessary and appropriate checks undertaken. Staff undertake mandatory training in equality and diversity to safeguard employees from abuse. John Innes also maintains a whistleblowing policy which is clear and easily accessible to staff.

As a registered charity, John Innes Centre has a responsibility to ensure that the funds it disperses are properly spent, in accordance with the law, funder requirements and in the public interest. We support the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and we are committed to carrying out procurement activities in an environmentally, socially, ethically and economically responsible manner.

Our supply chains fall mainly under five ‘super-categories’, which are:

  • Laboratory Consumables and Equipment
  • Library Resources
  • Professional Services
  • ICT Equipment and Services
  • Estates Goods and Services

The principal categories deemed as carrying material risks with respect to Modern Slavery are laboratory consumables, ICT equipment and some estates services, such as cleaning and security services.  A significant amount of our procurement is undertaken through our membership of the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC), a non-profit professional buying organisation which is part of the UK University Purchasing Consortia.  LUPC is a leader in promoting respect for human rights in public supply chains and is committed to supporting the UK Government’s National Action Plan, to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.  LUPC has focused on these highest risk categories by running pilot due diligence projects in laboratory gloves, cleaning services and security services, and by maintaining its affiliation to monitoring organisation Electronics Watch.

Electronics Watch is an independent monitoring organisation that helps public sector buyers work together and collaborate with local monitoring partners to protect the labour rights and the safety of works in their electronics supply chains.

As an affiliate to Electronics Watch, The John Innes Centre maximises impact while lowering costs, benefitting more workers in our electronics supply chain than we could reach on our own.

In 2022 LUPC developed a new tool called the Supplier Due Diligence Tool (SDDT) to assess the social and environmental performance of suppliers. All LUPC suppliers are now required to complete this to provide more information about their organisation and practices, this will highlight areas that need to be explored further and help identify areas that they may require extra support or encouragement in moving forwards with.

In line with Home Office guidance, we aim to make progress over a period of time across a broad range of potential exposures.

During the financial year ended 31 March 2024 we have:

  • Partnered with LUPC to provide an eLearning suite. This is to ensure that staff are well-informed about the Modern Slavery Act and its significance for businesses. We have also ensured that all staff involved in procurement have completed mandatory training.
  • Taken steps to guarantee that any new suppliers adhere to the Modern Slavery Act and, if necessary, consolidate this information for future use.
  • Encouraged the utilisation of suppliers that are either registered with LUPC or have satisfactorily complied with the Supply Chain Code of Conduct.
  • Continued reviewing our agreements to incorporate obligations for compliance with the Modern Slavery Act as necessary and implemented due diligence measures to mitigate any potential risks.

During the financial year ending 31st March 2025 we will:

  • Enhance our strategy in the areas of Purchasing and Facilities by conducting a thorough review of our NBI Supply Chain Code of Conduct. This includes ensuring compliance from all new suppliers and incorporating it into our tendering activities.
  • Continue to review our current supplier base to ensure that NBI suppliers remain compliant with our established code of conduct. We will challenge suppliers who cannot provide a suitable statement and, if necessary, remove them from our supplier base if they are deemed non-compliant. This will allow us to prioritise ethical suppliers.
  • Continue to review our key performance indicators to monitor and comprehend any shifts in supplier behaviour that could potentially compromise our established code of conduct as stated in our Modern Slavery statement.
  • Ensure that our Modern Slavery training and, if necessary, to incorporate the latest information and guidance and ensure any new staff are fully trained.

This statement has been approved the Governing Council, and signed on its behalf by the Chair:

Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett, Trustee Director

18th July 2024