Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Statement

1 Organisational Structure

This is Inspired PLC Group’s Modern Slavery statement for the financial year ending 31st December 2023 and this statement also speaks for the activities of each of Inspired Plc’s subsidiaries (together in this statement ‘Inspired’). These subsidiary organisations share common Board membership.

Inspired’s business sits within the professional consultancy service sector operating a non-seasonal offering as a business-to-business service model advising clients on optimising their energy and sustainability programmes.

2 Modern Slavery policies

Policies are made available to all staff members through the employee handbook and other internal communications. Our Modern Slavery policy is among these and is regularly reviewed including the awareness of senior management to any concerns raised.

Our policies are written to highlight to our employees that Modern Slavery is against the principles and ethics of Inspired and its stakeholder community.

3 Due Diligence, Risk Assessment and management process 

Inspired has undertaken a desktop risk assessment of activities within our business operations and our supply chain. Our conclusion following that assessment is that the nature of the professional services we provide, the staff we recruit, and the jurisdictions in which our suppliers are situated means that we present a low risk of Modern Slavery existing in our business operations and our supply chain.

More Particularly: 

• Staff: given the nature of the people that Inspired recruits (mostly experienced professionals and graduates), the risk of the business directly hiring someone who is subject to trafficking or slavery is extremely low. All agencies that we use for recruitment are based in the United Kingdom and have their own Modern Slavery statements and policies where appropriate.

• Offices: all our offices are leased and serviced by reputable companies that are low-risk.

• Suppliers: our suppliers are UK-based organisations with few exceptions and are often regulated utility companies. Where we have suppliers in foreign jurisdictions, we assess their particular exposure, and whilst we do not have material leverage on the standard terms of our contracts, we have assessed our suppliers’ standing and reputation as part of our desktop risk assessment in a proportionate due diligence exercise.

We are satisfied that, as at the date of this statement, all our suppliers are reputable organisations and there are no discernible modern slavery red flags among our current supply chain.

Notwithstanding our current position regarding our suppliers, we are currently in the process of creating and implementing a cohesive supplier code of conduct for all suppliers with whom Inspired trade. This new code will:

1. Improve the level of due diligence that Inspired undertakes on its supplier companies and will give Inspired increased comfort that these Suppliers are reputable.
2. Ensure Inspired are better placed to dictate the terms on which we engage our suppliers and include the ability to conduct audits and due diligence on the internal processes of our suppliers regards their prevention and detection of modern slavery.
3. Implement contractual provisions with Inspired Suppliers to enable more swift and effective contract management and termination in the event that any concerns around modern slavery arise.

4 Key Performance Indicators

Inspired are, whilst developing their supplier code of conduct, also designing sector-appropriate key performance indicators to better manage the effectiveness of our new modern slavery detection and prevention processes.

5 Training 

Sector-appropriate training is being written, and soon to be implemented across Inspired and provided to those of Inspired’s employees who are responsible for sourcing and engaging employees and/or suppliers and our Board of Directors who are responsible for the overall good governance of the business.

6 Governance

This Modern Slavery Statement and our activities are reviewed annually or after an incident.

This version of our Modern Slavery Statement has been approved by the Inspired Plc board and signed by Mark Dickinson, Chief Executive Officer on the 1st May 2024.