Home > Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
Foreword
Lyons Davidson Limited is dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for all through our operations and services. We have developed a culture which promotes and stands against any form of discrimination or exploitation, including that of modern slavery and human trafficking. Our core valuesoutline our commitment to acting responsibly, supporting our local communities, investing in our people and encouraging diversity and accessibility; meeting the varied needs of our clients.
As part of the legal sector, we recognise that we have a responsibility to take a robust approach to modern slavery and human trafficking. We are committed to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in our corporate activities, and to ensuring that our supply chains are free from modern slavery and human trafficking and comply with our values.
In past years we have worked in collaboration with STOP THE TRAFFIK, a leading NGO focused on working with businesses and vulnerable communities to prevent modern slavery. Our work with STOP THE TRAFFIK laid a valuable foundation for our understanding of best practice for modern slavery prevention. Their advice and support helped us in looking at our processes and concentrate on our risk areas. However we have decided to change our focus and move our overall ESG strategy forward in a different direction.
Lyons Davidson fully supports the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act) and the provisions set out. Although Lyons Davidson currently does not meet the turnover threshold requiring it to publish an annual statement pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, we still consider it important to set out our commitment to assess potential modern slavery risks related in our business and to put in place steps aimed at ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our own business and our supply chains. This statement relates to actions and activities during the financial year 1 December 2022- 31 November 2023 and has been approved by the Board of Directors.
1.Our Organisational Structure and Supply Chains
This policy covers the activities of Lyons Davidson Limited, Lyons Davidson Scotland LLP and File Dynamics Limited (LDL/FDL).
LDL is a law firm providing legal services to businesses and individuals nationwide. File Dynamics Limited provides support functions to the business.
Figure 1: LDL’s 2022/2023 office locations
Across LDL and FDL we operate an agile working policy meaning that most colleagues share their working week between working at home and working in one of the LDL offices based in three locations in England and Wales together with its associated practice in Edinburgh.
LDL and FDL employ around 558 team members.
Our supply chain comprises of suppliers as expected in the running of a legal services office including: experts instructed to provide advice to our clients; counsel; facilities services; recruitment agencies; training providers and equipment providers.
The Company only operates in the UK.
Responsibility for our anti-modern slavery initiatives is as follows:
Overall: LDL Board
Policies: People Services team
Risk assessment and due diligence: Compliance Director
Training: Learning & Development
2.Policies in Relation to Human Trafficking
The following policies are relevant to our approach to the identification of modern slavery risks and the steps to be taken to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in our operations:
Whistleblowing Policy
This includes any circumstances that may give rise to an enhanced risk of modern slavery or human trafficking. Our whistleblowing procedure aims to make it easy for staff to make disclosures confidentially, without fear of retaliation. Employees, clients or others who have concerns can raise these with us at any time.
We encourage all our staff, clients and other business partners to report any concerns related to the direct activities, or to our supply chain.
Code of Conduct
Our code makes clear to employees the actions and behaviour expected of them when representing our business. We strive to maintain the highest standards of employee conduct and ethical behaviour.
Corporate Social Responsibility Programme
This documents our approach to responsibilities in relation to social, ethical and environmental issues. It deals with the way in which we aim to limit any adverse impact caused by our business in these areas, and to promote a responsible approach in the way we conduct business, which includes preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in our operations.
Equal Opportunities
We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment, with this policy setting out our approach to equal opportunities and the avoidance of discrimination at work. Employees and any job applicants receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (‘Protected Characteristics’). This policy also outlines what an individual can do if they feel they have suffered discrimination or been treated unfairly, including through the Company’s confidential Grievance Procedure or through its Anti-bullying and harassment policy.
3.Risk Assessment
Annually we undertake a risk assessment which includes determining the level of modern slavery and human trafficking risk to our business, for our employees, clients and within our supply chain.
Although we acknowledge that our risk of modern slavery is relatively low considering we operate in the professional services sector, we acknowledge that no business is without risk. Additionally, we recognise the associated risk that operating as a national law firm brings with it.
Thus, although we recognise that there is a low risk for our employees, operating in professional service roles which have a low risk for modern slavery, our recruitment policies and processes include appropriate checks on all new employees and regular meetings to ensure that all our staff are safe and supported.
Our supply chain is likely to be where the highest risk of modern slavery lies for our company. We have assessed that our high-risk suppliers are likely to provide facilities services, manufactured products, and construction and refurbishment.
4.Due Diligence
As outlined above, we recognise that our highest risk is within our supply chains Assessment of our supply chain identifies suppliers which need to be prioritised in our modern slavery due diligence practices. The highest risk suppliers, warranting enhanced due diligence, are likely to provide facilities services, manufactured products, and construction and refurbishment.
In general, we undertake due diligence when considering taking on all new suppliers, and when reviewing existing suppliers. These mitigating steps include:
Evaluating the modern slavery and human trafficking risks of each new supplier by assessing the sector and geographical associated risks;
Considering whether they are required to produce a Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, and reviewing any such statement and associated policies as part of contract negotiations/tender processes with any new supplier;
Addressing any high-risk areas identified with the suppliers;
Entering into a remediation process with suppliers who fail to address non-compliances;
Taking steps to improve any suppliers’ practices which cause concern, including requiring them to implement action plans;
Where a potential frequent supplier is unwilling to co-operate with our enquiries, considering if that is a business relationship we wish to start.
5.Training
Our aim for the coming year is to help our staff better understand and respond to identified modern slavery and human trafficking risks. This will include:
An overview of the various forms of modern slavery and trafficking and the current picture of modern slavery both in the UK and globally;
How our supply chain is at risk of modern slavery, primarily in facilities services, manufactured products, and construction and refurbishment; and
How to report concerns and respond to incidents effectively
6.Key Performance Indicators
We understand the importance of measuring our performance against our commitment to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking. In order to assess the effectiveness of our approach to modern slavery, we will be reviewing on an annual basis the following key performance indicators:
Staff who have received modern slavery training
Awareness resources developed and shared with our networks
7.Our Next Steps
Throughout the coming year, in order to meet our commitment to prevent modern slavery and maintain human rights in our operations and supply chain, we are committing to following these next steps:
Awareness training for staff
Improving our supplier and customer due diligence processes
8.Statement Approval
This statement covers the financial period December 2022 to November 2023 and has been approved by the Board of Directors on 5 June 2024, who will review and update it annually.
Please complete this form, including a brief description of how we can help you, and we will contact you as soon as we can to discuss the matter informally and without charge.
"My case handler secured the withdrawal of a ‘Contentious Probate’ claim. It took a considerable amount of time and it became increasingly difficult and extremely successful. I cannot express how much I appreciate all their help, diligence and doing a really professional job. Thank you Lyons Davidson for all your hard work, professionalism and sensible approach to ending this extremely trying time."
