Tulip joins hidden labour exploitation campaign
Tulip joins hidden labour exploitation campaign
Tulip Ltd has joined the growing number of food manufacturers backing the industry’s ‘Stronger Together’ initiative designed to help eradicate hidden labour exploitation in the UK.
The initiative which was launched towards the end of 2013 is aiming to attract over 1,000 farms, food producers and labour suppliers and is a collaboration between the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority, the Association of Labour Providers, the British Retail Consortium, the charity Migrant Help and the UK’s leading food retailers.
Kirsty Wilkins, Group HR Director at Tulip Ltd, explained: “I believe the vast majority of food manufacturers are extremely vigilant to any issues relating to exploitation in the workplace however we simply cannot be complacent about such an important matter.
“As one of the largest employers in the UK food manufacturing sector, Tulip has an important role to play in supporting Stronger Together to ensure that, as an industry, we are doing everything in our power to tackle all aspects of labour exploitation.
“We have found the resources provided on the Strong2gether.org website extremely useful in terms of driving awareness of this issue across all 17 of our operating locations. We have also updated our new starter induction programme, reviewed and amended our labour provider service level agreements and audit processes and updated our Ethical and Responsible Sourcing Policy in line with the Stronger Together shared best practice guidelines.”
Stronger Together programme coordinator and ALP director, David Camp, said: “We warmly welcome Tulip to the Stronger Together network.
“Tackling human trafficking for labour exploitation requires a collaborative approach to raise awareness and support employers and recruitment businesses in dealing with this growing scourge in supply chains.”
Tulip has also taken the opportunity to launch an independently-run and confidential telephone ‘whistleblower’ line called ‘Speak Up’ to give its 7,500 employees the opportunity to leave messages or speak to an advisor about any issue in the workplace about which they have a concern or complaint.
