190426-SlaveryStatement

Our Commitment - Lincoln City Football Club and Lincoln City Foundation are committed to the prevention and eradication of all modern forms of slavery. Through the UK Modern Slavery Act (2015) we will ensure that our environment, workforce and supply chain recognises it is a significant human rights issue. We will help identify and reduce the threat of modern slavery and how we aim to expose and prevent any risk of modern slavery throughout our supply chain. We are committed to being a responsible employer and aim to safeguard our staff and members of the public whom we engage with.

This statement sets out Lincoln City’s responsibility to helping identify and reduce the threat of modern slavery, and how Lincoln City aims to expose and prevent any risk of modern slavery throughout its supply chain.

What is Modern Slavery?

We recognise modern slavery is a significant human rights issue which is largely underestimated in Lincoln and Greater Lincolnshire areas.

Forms of modern slavery can include human trafficking (for domestic or sex work, along with other forms of forced labour), bonded labour (also known as debt slavery), some forms of child labour and domestic servitude (often used to hide exploitation of an individual).  

Tackling Modern Slavery

Our workforce, including those whom volunteer their time free of charge, will go through a robust induction process where their personal identification is checked and where necessary their legal right to work in the UK verified. Employees are asked to provide evidence of qualifications and are paid directly into a personal bank account in their own name. We promise to pay all our staff at least the National minimum living wage for their age.

All employees sign up to a Code of Conduct which covers equality, respect, integrity, providing a safe environment for all and Lincoln City promises to empower staff to raise concerns to safeguard vulnerable adults and children. Lincoln City has an ethical expectation of all its employees and is committed to investigating reports fully or sharing necessary information to those professionals that have expertise or a vested interest in this area.

Through the Foundation’s community based activities and sports provision, we recognise that we engage with some of our most vulnerable members of society and through these supportive roles our staff team may be confided in.

For staff members that interact with people in our community groups and schools, relevant awareness training is provided.

We work with our suppliers to ensure that our commitment to modern slavery is communicated and that all reasonable checks on their workforce are completed and that they are sourcing products and materials from suppliers that share the same commitment to modern slavery. Where identified, some suppliers will be asked to provide copies of their safeguarding policies, staff training and induction procedures.

Within our organisation we will continue to encourage an open culture and positive communication channels to empower all individuals to speak out and raise concerns for themselves or on behalf of another.

We will continue to strengthen our links with other agencies and local authorities to ensure we are kept updated of local risks and trends.

Lincoln City Football Club and Lincoln City Foundation have a variety of policies and procedures in place, which are reviewed regularly to safeguard staff, participants and members of the public. Including in these policies are a host of robust HR processes and other key documents are available on our website.

This statement will be reviewed annually by both Lincoln City Football Club and Lincoln City Foundation board representatives to identify areas of high risk, where we can provide further support and to ensure we are up to date with legislation and research.

Help and Support

If you would like to raise a concern or make a report urgently you can call 999 or Crimestoppers (anonymously) on 0800 555 111.

You can contact Lincolnshire Police via email: modernslavery@lincs.pnn.police.uk or the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 for non-emergency advice and support.

Online guidance and information is available at: www.modernslaveryhelpline.org or through the charity UNSEEN by visiting: www.unseenuk.org