Modern slavery statement

The aim of this statement is to demonstrate that ABL Health follows good practice and takes all reasonable steps to prevent slavery and human trafficking. All members of staff have a personal responsibility for the successful prevention of slavery and human trafficking, with the People and Culture team holding lead responsibility for our organisation and the regional managers for compliance within the supply chain.

ABL Health Ltd is a UK-based private limited company specialising in community-driven healthcare services, with a strong focus on reducing health inequalities and promoting healthy lifestyles. Founded in 2009, we have evolved from a regional specialist into a national brand, providing a wide range of health and wellbeing services across the country. Our mission is to empower individuals to lead “healthier, happier lives for longer”, particularly targeting communities in deprived areas. Our Lloyds Social Impact Award, 2022 and “Business Purpose Before Profit Award” at the 2024 British Business Excellence Awards, evidence this approach.

With our head office in Bolton, we operate across multiple regions, delivering community-based clinics and service hubs. Our current service mix includes Tier 2 and Tier 3 Weight Management, Smoking Cessation, Integrated Wellbeing Services, Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health early intervention, Intensive Personalised Support, autism assessments and Prison Lived Experience Engagement.

With over 450 employees including GPs, psychologists, dietitians, nutritionists, lifestyle coaches, and community engagement experts, our 2025 – 2026 turnover was just over £21,000,000.

ABL Health is fully aware of its responsibilities towards clients, employees, and the local community. We are guided by a strict set of ethical values that underpin our commercial activities. We therefore expect all suppliers to ABL Health to adhere to the same principles.

Recruitment Policy: We operate a robust recruitment policy, including eligibility to work in the UK checks for all directly employed staff. ABL Health does not use agency staff. Where subcontractors are engaged, we undertake due diligence to ensure they comply with employment legislation, including confirming the right to work in the UK.

Safeguarding Policies: All members of staff have a responsibility to be vigilant to the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking. All staff complete Level 1 child and adult safeguarding training, which includes awareness of modern slavery. Client-facing staff complete Level 3 safeguarding training within 2 months of starting employment and all staff have access to level 4 trained DSOs (12). ABL’s intranet includes links to local authority modern slavery partnerships. Our Safeguarding Policy sets out clear procedures for reporting concerns related to modern slavery internally and related to the locations where we deliver our services.

Raising Concerns (Whistleblowing) Policy: ABL Health operates a whistleblowing policy which enables staff to raise concerns confidentially, whether regarding the treatment of individuals, colleagues, or practices within our operations or supply chains – without fear of retaliation. ABL also has two Freedom to Speak Up Guardians for staff where they can raise concerns.

Equal Opportunities: We have strong controls in place to protect staff from exploitation and to ensure compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements. This includes fair pay, terms and conditions, and access to training and development.

These and other internal policies ensure that:

• Staff can report concerns about slavery and human trafficking, and management will act on them in line with our procedures.
• All clinical and non-clinical staff are expected to consider modern slavery risks as part of their day-to-day roles.
• Staff can raise concerns via our Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.
• Advice and training about modern slavery are accessible through the Safeguarding Team.

ABL’s organisational structure, governance, and legal framework support thorough checks and due diligence in our recruitment and procurement practices, extending to any subcontractors.

Employee relations are managed consistently by our People and Culture team, assessed through our Investor in People accreditation, internal audit processes and captured in our state-of-the-art IRIS HR system. ABL Health pays above the National Minimum Wage as set by the UK Government.

To mitigate the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking in our organisation and our supply chains, we:

• Apply NHS Terms and Conditions for procuring goods and services (non-clinical) and ABL Health Standard Contracts (clinical), both of which include compliance clauses regarding the Modern Slavery Act.
• Thoroughly vet all new suppliers, passing commissioners’ requirements through the supply chain e.g. asking suppliers to provide their Modern Slavery Statement, which should detail the steps they take to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chain.
• Require awarded suppliers to sign up to NHS Terms and Conditions, which contain provisions on ethical labour standards.

ABL Health maintains a comprehensive, proportionate, and evolving approach to tackling modern slavery, underpinned by the following:

Top-Level Commitment: Our Modern Slavery Statement is reviewed annually and approved by the Executive Board. Strategic and operational responsibility rests with the Director of Finance and Corporate Services.

Risk Assessment: We assess modern slavery risks across our operations, with particular attention to procurement, HR, and supply chain management. High-risk sectors such as cleaning, maintenance, and temporary staffing receive enhanced scrutiny.

Proportionate Prevention Procedures: Our prevention measures are risk-based and include strict financial and procurement controls. We carry out due diligence on all suppliers, verify banking details, and only process legitimate invoices. As a cashless organisation, we reduce the risk of labour exploitation through undocumented payments.

Due Diligence: All third-party relationships are subject to due diligence. Contracts include anti-slavery clauses, and we actively discourage opaque or untraceable subcontracting.

Training and Awareness: All new starters receive safeguarding and modern slavery training. Client-facing staff receive enhanced training (Level 3), and targeted training is provided to procurement, HR, and senior managers. Training completion is recorded and monitored by the HR department. We also offer this training to our subcontractors.

Monitoring and Review: Our policies are reviewed at least annually. Regular internal audits, spot checks on suppliers, and incident reporting through our RADAR system support ongoing vigilance. Modern slavery risks are reviewed by the Executive Board, ensuring leadership-level oversight.