Modern slavery

Modern Slavery and human trafficking statement

DMH Stallard LLP is making a Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

We oppose slavery and human trafficking in all its forms, including forced and child labour,  and make this statement to set out the steps we have taken, and those we will take over the next year, to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our business or in our supply chains.

About us

We are a provider of legal and planning advisory services.  Most of our work relates to the laws of England and Wales, and all of our office operations are in London and the south east of England.

Previously, we produced a voluntary statement when our turnover was under £36 million.  For the financial year ending 30 June 2023, our turnover exceeded that amount. We are not due to file our audited accounts until 30 June 2024, but we are making this statement now to show our commitment to tackling the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and in our supply chains, and to set out the steps that we have taken in this regard to date and those we will take over the next 12 months and beyond.

Our supply chains

Our supply chains are mainly made up of the following:

• landlords to whom we pay rent and service changes for office space;
• suppliers of IT and telecoms services and products;
• suppliers of professional services to us (e.g. our own consultants, external accountants, barristers, surveyors); and
• suppliers of products beyond IT (e.g. furniture, stationery).

Our commitment to ethical trading

We are committed to ethical trading principles and to acquiring goods and services without causing harm to others.

Due diligence and risk assessment

Since publishing our Voluntary Statement, and in accordance with the objectives we set out in it, we have:

• reviewed our key suppliers and clarified their ownership (including identifying persons with significant control);
• identified those areas within our supply chain where we believe that the risk of human trafficking and modern slavery are highest;
• identified the level at which our suppliers should be required to confirm their commitment to ethical labour practices;
• only employed agency staff through reputable agencies that adhere to our anti-slavery and human trafficking policy (or their own equivalent policies); and
• instituted training and greater awareness amongst some of our senior staff.

Over the next 12 months and beyond

We will continue to monitor our supply chain, and will develop a questionnaire for our corporate suppliers (over an appropriate minimum level of our expenditure) to complete and return.  The purposes of the questionnaire will be to:

• emphasise to our suppliers the importance that we place on these issues;
• gather information about the approach being taken by our suppliers as a means of satisfying ourselves that they are conducting their business appropriately in this context; and
• identify any instances where we consider that greater scrutiny might be necessary.

In cases where we cannot be reasonably satisfied that a supplier will take appropriate remedial steps to address modern slavery and/or human trafficking in their business, which may include ceasing to trade with that supplier.

Furthermore, we will further progress the roll out of training to our senior staff, and those whose role involved regular contact with suppliers. We also look to build on our ethical trading principles.

Review

We will review our progress as required by legislation.  We are aware that our accounting period will shortly change as a result of the Basis Period Reform and will consider when we should issue our next Statement.

This Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement is made by reference to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 for the financial year ending 30 June 2023.  It was approved by the Senior Members on 20 December 2023.

Richard Pollins
Managing Partner
21/12/2023

(amended 5/4/24 to reflect that our audited accounts are now not due to be filed until 30 June 2024)