Modern Slavery Act Statement

This statement is published in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

It sets out the steps that Wildwood Trust has taken to ensure that slavery or human trafficking is not occurring in any part of our organisation, in that of our direct suppliers, supply chain or other partner organisations. 

Our Procurement Policy demonstrates our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing effective systems and controls, to reduce the risk of slavery and human trafficking taking place within our organisation or our supply chains.

Areas of risk
The Trust has identified a number of areas of heightened risk in relation to its operations:
Overseas conservation partners
Overseas suppliers of retail merchandise
Construction contractors and subcontractors
Suppliers of fresh produce for catering and animal feed
Its own staff and volunteers

Due diligence
The Trust has undertaken due diligence to reduce the risk of human trafficking and slavery within its operations and supply chains. Written confirmation is obtained from suppliers with whom the Trust has had expenditure in excess of £100,000 over the 12 months prior to the date of this statement. On set up, suppliers are asked to verify they adhere to the Modern Slavery Act.

Our employees
Where an employee requests their salary to be paid into an account with a different name to themselves, due diligence will be undertaken with the employee to ensure they will be in receipt and control of their salary. 

Our supply chain
We expect that the companies who supply us to give us commitments (as and when contracts are entered into or renewed) that they will:

Comply with all applicable laws relating to slavery and human trafficking (including the Act)
Undertake their own due diligence into their own supply chains and business partners; and
Ensure that any contracts with their subcontractors have similar obligations.

Our partners 
We ask the same of our conservation partner organisations and education partners. The implementation of this depends on negotiating formal agreements as and when they come up for renewal.
Partner organisations will conform with ‘The Modern Slavery Act 2015’ and warrant that they have thoroughly investigated their labour practices and those of their direct suppliers to ensure that there is no forced labour used anywhere in the organisation or used in any of direct suppliers’ or subcontractors’ organisation and that this will continue to be the case at all times.

Training our team
A training programme is in place to ensure all management staff are aware of the organisation’s responsibilities in accordance with the Act. It helps staff identify any concerns around modern slavery as they go about their duties and how to escalate this in the organisation.

New suppliers and partners will be expected to confirm their compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 before their relationship with the Trust is formalised. 

This statement and the commitments and actions within it will be reviewed and updated each year.

Paul Whitfield 
Director General 
1 March 2026