Modern Slavery Statement

Introduction

Our mission is to supply ethically and sustainably sourced food, empower people to live healthier lives, and use our business as a force for good. As a certified B Corp, we are committed to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental impact. Our three values of Mindful, Personal and Unafraid underpin our ways of working and define the spirit in which we intend to do business.

We recognise that no business is free from the risk of exploitation. Modern slavery is a global issue with an increasing number of cases in the UK. We are against all forms of forced labour and expect our team and the people we work with to act with integrity to ensure, as far as we are able to, that modern slavery does not exist across our business or wider supply chain.

The aim of this statement is to highlight the systems and controls we have implemented to tackle any forms of exploitation that could be taking place across our business. We are committed to setting a standard for fair, safe and healthy working conditions for all.

This modern slavery statement is published in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Business Structure and Supply Chain

Founded in 2015, Mindful Chef is a health-focused recipe box business delivering nutritious meals across the UK.

Since launch, the recipe box offering has expanded to include a Ready to Go range of prepared frozen meals, smoothies, soups, broths, desserts, breakfasts and branded snacks.

Despite a streamlined supply chain, there are still risks of exploitation from “farm to fork”. We source ingredients from suppliers across the UK. All produce is handled & packaged by our suppliers or sent to a co-packing site. Ready to Go products are manufactured by independent food businesses.

All stock is delivered to a distribution centre in the Midlands where recipe boxes and Ready to Go orders are packed. Workers at the distribution centre are either directly employed by Mindful Chef, employed by the distribution centre (under an out-sourcing agreement with them), or contract staff employed by a labour agency on behalf of the distribution centre. Boxes are then delivered across mainland UK by a third-party courier service. All other day-to-day activities are carried out from the office HQ in South West London.

Sourcing ethically and responsibly products has always been incredibly important, so we only work with suppliers who share our values. We prioritise purchasing from the UK where possible, but sometimes we do have to go further afield. When we do, we expect the same standards of quality, transparency and sustainability and that our suppliers will hold people working in their supply chains to the same high standards.

This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity.

Our Policies and Due Diligence

Forced labour is a hidden crime that many employers are unaware could be taking place in their supply chain. We have taken the following steps to assess and reduce the risk of it taking place across ours.

We have a written Supplier Code of Conduct. The Code has been put in place to define expectations for fair, safe and healthy working conditions and set forth standards of ethical behaviour throughout our supply chain. It outlines what suppliers can expect from us and what we expect from them as a supplier to Mindful Chef. All suppliers are requested to commit to the Code and we work closely with them. We also conduct reviews of our suppliers and have regular onsite visits.

In addition to our Supplier Code of Conduct, Mindful Chef is a member of SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange). SEDEX provides a platform which enables supply chain transparency and responsible purchasing through collaboration and information gathering. By requiring our suppliers to become members we are able to manage risk and drive responsible business across our supply chain.

We currently have approximately 75 suppliers that we are working with, all suppliers are required
to complete the following steps:

1. Registered on SEDEX
2. Accepted sharing of data with Mindful Chef
3. Completion of the self-assessment questionnaire.

We actively support suppliers who need additional help on meeting these three metrics. Below are our results as at March 2024.

Registered on SEDEX - 100% completion
Accepted sharing of data with Mindful Chef - 100% completion
Completion of self assessment questionnaire - 98.7%

To protect contracted staff the employment agencies we work with must comply with the UK Modern Slavery Act (2015). They must also ensure the following are in place:

Availability of correct paperwork in relation to right to work in the UK
Legal docs, e.g. passport / evidence of proof of ID
Formal written contracts with workers
Agency workers are paid directly into their own chosen bank account

Whistle blowing & Anti-Bribery policy

An important aspect of accountability and transparency is positively encouraging and supporting our team and people within the organisation to voice concerns in a responsible and effective manner. We encourage people to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or supply chains at the earliest possible stage.

Our Whistleblowing and Anti-Bribery policies outline the steps individuals should take to inform the company when they have discovered malpractice, impropriety or any other potential issues that they identify and also allows individuals to report any issues anonymously.

Training

We provide training to relevant members of our team to inform and equip them with the knowledge required to recognise and identify all forms of exploitation and potential risks.

This includes training on SEDEX, as well as Modern Slavery training All members of the team, regardless of their role, receive training on our Whistleblowing and Anti-Bribery policies.

Going forward: Focus for the next 12 months

All suppliers registered and completed a self-assessment questionnaire on SEDEX
Continue to implement mandatory training and annual refresher training for all employees via our E-Learning platform
Continually assess and manage the risks of exploitation in our supply chain.

This statement has been approved by our board of directors and will be reviewed and updated annually.

Director signature & date here.