Modern slavery encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment. Great Places is committed to eradicating modern slavery in all forms throughout our direct operations and our wider supply chain.
Great Places Housing Group is a registered, not for profit, social housing provider working predominantly across 39 local authorities in the North of England providing rented homes, low cost home ownership opportunities, private management services and support services for people in need.
We have approximately 26,000 properties in our portfolio, and in 2023/24 achieved a turnover of over £140M excluding property sales. We employ approximately 1,000 colleagues and are a living wage employer with a strong commitment to supporting and developing our employees to achieve their potential.
Within each of our directorates, an assessment has been undertaken to identify any high risk activities or functions where modern slavery and/or human trafficking are known to be more prevalent. This exercise identified the following risk areas:
Within each of these areas, we will liaise with our colleagues, contractors and supply chain partners to ensure that risks are managed effectively and that employment practices are in line with our expectations.
The legal structure of Great Places Housing Group comprises the following companies and is overseen day to day by Chief Executive (Matthew Harrison) and 5 Executive Directors (note that one position has been vacant since June 2023 with a replacement expected in post by May 2024).
Great Places’ Board is currently made up of 9 Non-Executive Directors plus the Chief Executive and is chaired by Mervyn Jones, with a further 3 Non-Executive Directors making up the Cube Board.
The structure chart below outlines the legal relationships between the members of the Group.
During 2023/24, we committed to deliver a number of actions in order to address the priority areas that we had identified. The information below summarises our progress against these actions:
| Action identified | Progress made in 2023/24 |
|---|---|
| Continue to raise awareness of modern slavery risks across the business by promoting a video from the National Crime Agency, and by delivering training to our Board. | Internal awareness raising was delivered, however Board training was deferred due to our cancelled merger discussions, and the subsequent recruitment plans for additional Non-Executive Directors. |
| Re-procure a number of high risk contracts where modern slavery is potentially present in the supply chain; our development led innovation chain north (ICN) framework, repairs sub-contractors and various cleaning and laundry contracts. | Over the course of 2023/24 a number of contracts where Modern Slavery is potentially present have been re-procured, including the Innovation Chain North development framework, Plumlife Ground Maintenance, Window Cleaning and Fencing. As a standard requirement all bidders must confirm that they will comply with Great Places Modern Slavery policy, with bidders with a turnover in excess of £36million required to provide a copy of their Modern Slavery policy. |
| Continue to work with sub-contractors to ensure we have appropriate assurance that modern slavery risks are being appropriately addressed in their supply chains. | We continue to work with sub-contractors via contract managers to review risks in the supply chain and have not identified any areas of risk. |
Over the next 12 months, we will:
We are not aware of any modern slavery or human trafficking incidents have occurred within Great Places or our supply chain within 2023/24, but will continue to act vigilantly and in line with the Modern Slavery Act throughout 2024/25.
