About Case studies Careers Jobs For VGC staff News Contact us News and blog Recertified to Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard VGC Group News and blog News Recertified to Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard Equality 26 October 2021 We have been recertified to the Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard. The Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard (ELS) verifies an organisation’s systems in relation to the Modern Slavery Act. Each year we have a stringent audit system by the BRE assessor. We continue to be listed on GreenBookLive as a company which meets the requirements of the standard. The audits in 2020 and 2021 were run remotely. The process for this year’s audit was led by HSQE adviser Fiona Dowling. Colleagues from across the business provided over 100 pieces evidence which Fiona collated to support our assessment. BRE auditor Nigel Jones said “Thank you for all your hard work in the self-assessment and evidence gathering.” VGC trainers run regular toolbox talks on spotting the signs of modern slavery at sites across the UK. “Working ethically is just what we do,” said Ciara Pryce, chief operating officer. “We always strive to go beyond the minimum standards, and we thank BRE for such a thorough review of our processes. The ELS gives a good structure to help us to keep moving forward and stay at the forefront of ethical recruitment and employment.” Our certificate is ELS0003 – we were the third company in the UK to be certified to the Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard. In February 2019, we were moved up from level 2 to level 3. (Levels are from 1 – 4 with 4 being the highest.) Relevance of the Ethical Labour Sourcing Standard (BES 6002:2017) According to the International Labour Organization, the construction industry accounts for nearly one fifth of modern slavery victims in the private sector. CIOB’s report Construction and the Modern Slavery Act found that thousands of workers are at risk because of the way the industry works. Factors such as fragmented supply chains, a cost-driven culture and project discounting all contribute to the challenges. The National Referral Mechanism recorded 130 different nationalities of potentially trafficked victims in 2018. See also the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). Looking for work? Would you like an interesting job, working on some of the UK’s biggest projects? We’re always interested in talking to qualified, experienced people who want to work hard and grow their careers. Register for work What can VGC do for you? We provide people and deliver projects to the construction and rail industries. Our divisions operate in all types of civil engineering environments, including roads and bridges, airports, nuclear facilities, utilities, and mainline and underground rail. Find out what VGC can do for you Leave a comment We will not publish your email address. Required fields are marked * Comment Name* Email* Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 08000 47 8118 enq@vgcgroup.co.uk About us Case studies Careers Jobs For VGC staff News How we work HSQE Social responsibility Equality, diversity and inclusion Modern Slavery Act Website terms and conditions enq@vgcgroup.co.uk 08000 47 8118 Contact Follow us on © 2021 VGC Group