- Governance & Legal
Modern Slavery Statement
- Governance & Legal
- ESG & Social
Introduction
This statement is made pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps Saint Visage Dental Group has taken, and continues to take, to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place within our business or supply chains.
Saint Visage Dental Group operates a network of 40+ dental practices across the United Kingdom, employing over 200 clinicians and support staff. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships.
Our Policies
We operate a number of internal policies to ensure we are conducting business in an ethical and transparent manner:
- Recruitment policy: We operate robust recruitment procedures, including verifying the identity and right to work of all employees. We conduct due diligence on all recruitment agencies and third-party labour providers.
- Whistleblowing policy: We encourage all employees, associates, and stakeholders to report concerns about any aspect of our business, including suspicions of modern slavery, without fear of retaliation. Our Whistleblowing Policy provides a framework for confidential reporting.
- Code of conduct: All employees and associates are expected to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity. Our code of conduct makes clear to employees the actions and behaviour expected of them.
- International recruitment: Given our Associate Development Programme which recruits international dental graduates, we take particular care to ensure that no individuals are subject to exploitative conditions. All international associates receive transparent employment terms, market-rate compensation, and full visa and regulatory support at our cost.
Due Diligence and Supply Chains
Our supply chains primarily include dental materials and equipment suppliers, laboratory services, IT and software providers, facilities management, and professional services. We take the following steps to assess and manage modern slavery risks:
- Conducting risk assessments of our supply chains, with particular attention to sectors and geographies known to be higher risk.
- Requiring key suppliers to confirm their compliance with the Modern Slavery Act and to demonstrate their own anti-slavery measures.
- Including anti-slavery provisions in our contracts with suppliers.
- Periodically reviewing supplier compliance as part of ongoing contract management.
Training
We provide awareness training to relevant staff, particularly those involved in recruitment, procurement, and people management, to ensure they can identify and respond to potential indicators of modern slavery. This training covers recognising the signs of forced labour, understanding reporting obligations, and the steps to take if concerns arise.
Measuring Effectiveness
We assess the effectiveness of our approach through:
- Monitoring reports received through our whistleblowing mechanism.
- Reviewing our recruitment and onboarding processes for international associates.
- Conducting periodic audits of key supplier relationships.
- Reporting to the board on modern slavery risk and compliance.
This statement has been approved by the board of directors and will be reviewed and updated annually.
Questions about our policies?
Our governance team is available to discuss any aspect of our policies and procedures.