Gardening Victoria - Modern Slavery Statement
Gardening Victoria publishes this Modern Slavery Statement to affirm our commitment to prevent any form of modern slavery, forced labour, child labour and human trafficking across our operations. This anti-slavery statement explains our approach, the scope of our responsibilities, and the actions we take to ensure our organisation and supply chains are free from exploitation. We recognise that a clear zero-tolerance approach to exploitation is an essential component of our corporate responsibility and our values as a community-focused organisation.
Our zero-tolerance policy declares that Gardening Victoria will not tolerate any form of slavery or human trafficking in any part of our activities. The policy applies to our employees, volunteers, partners and all third parties who supply goods or services to us. We are committed to a proactive, transparent and accountable anti-slavery policy and to taking swift remedial action if violations are identified.
This anti-modern slavery policy extends to our procurement, contracting and engagement processes. Gardening Victoria expects all suppliers, contractors and collaborators to comply with relevant laws and our standards on labour rights, working conditions and dignity. Our slavery and human trafficking statement covers direct employment and indirect relationships where there is potential risk of exploitation, and we assess risks across geographic, sectoral and supplier-type dimensions.
Supplier Due Diligence and Audits
We conduct systematic supplier due diligence as part of our sourcing and ongoing vendor management. Our supplier audits are a core control mechanism used to verify compliance and identify areas for improvement. The program focuses on high-risk suppliers and uses documentation review, on-site inspections and third-party verification where appropriate. Supplier audits are designed to be collaborative, aiming to remediate issues and build capacity.
Audits and checks include:
- Risk assessments of supplier operations and geographic exposures
- Contract clauses requiring compliance with anti-slavery standards
- On-site supplier audits and remote verification
- Corrective action plans and follow-up reviews
Where audits reveal non-compliance, Gardening Victoria requires prompt corrective measures. We may suspend or terminate relationships if suppliers fail to remediate serious breaches. We also offer support and training to supplier partners to address systemic issues and reduce future risk.
Reporting Channels and Whistleblowing
Gardening Victoria maintains clear, accessible reporting channels for any concerns about suspected exploitation or breaches of this anti-slavery statement. Reporting channels are intended to be safe, confidential and, where requested, anonymous. Staff and external stakeholders are encouraged to report concerns promptly so we can investigate and take appropriate action.
Available reporting routes include internal manager reporting, secure reporting to our governance team and escalation procedures for urgent matters. Key principles for reporting are confidentiality, non-retaliation and timely investigation. We document and track all reports to ensure thorough follow-up and transparency in outcomes without disclosing personal or contact details publicly.
In addition to formal reporting, Gardening Victoria invests in training and awareness-raising so that employees and partners can recognise signs of slavery and understand how to escalate concerns. We require managers to complete training on modern slavery risks and reporting obligations as part of our broader compliance and ethics program.
Remediation and victim support form part of our response framework. If a modern slavery issue is identified, we prioritise the safety and welfare of affected individuals and will collaborate with relevant authorities and specialist services where necessary. Our approach balances legal obligations with ethical responsibilities and aims for fair, victim-centred outcomes.
Gardening Victoria commits to an annual review of this modern slavery statement and related policies. The review examines the effectiveness of our measures, updates risk assessments, evaluates supplier audit findings and refreshes training and remediation processes. We publish an updated anti-slavery statement after each review cycle and use metrics from audits, incident reports and training completion rates to measure progress.
By maintaining a robust modern slavery framework — combining a clear zero-tolerance stance, targeted supplier audits, safe reporting channels and scheduled annual review — Gardening Victoria seeks continuous improvement. This slavery and human trafficking statement reflects our ongoing commitment to ethical practice, to protecting vulnerable people, and to working collaboratively with suppliers and the community to eliminate modern slavery from our value chain.