UK Modern Slavery Act Policy

Live Coffee Limited: Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Statement

1. Introduction: Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking

The UK Government enacted the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act) to better tackle the crimes of modern slavery and human trafficking in all their forms. As well as consolidating criminal offences, the Act introduces a framework for businesses to publish an annual statement setting out the steps taken to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place within the business or its wider supply chains.

As a purpose-led business committed to transparent, sustainable agricultural practices, Live Coffee Limited refuses to tolerate modern slavery, human trafficking, or forced labour anywhere in our value chain.

2. Our Business, Supply Chains, and Core Policy

2.1. Live Coffee Limited operates as a specialty coffee roaster based in the UK, sourcing green coffee directly from Importers, with a primary focus on agroforestry systems coffee producing countries. We ensure that we operate ethically, respecting local regulations, while fostering a culture of environmental regeneration and social justice across all our operations.

2.2. We refuse to tolerate modern slavery and human trafficking occurring anywhere in our supply chains. We are strictly committed to:

  • A. Shared Standards: Only working with producers, exporters, importers, and logistics partners who adopt the same rigorous ethical standards that we enforce in our own business.

  • B. Procurement Best Practices: Promoting transparent procurement processes with the aim of eliminating the risk of exploitation.

  • C. Consumer Confidence: Ensuring our wholesale partners and retail customers can be completely confident that the coffee they purchase from us is free of the taint of modern slavery and human trafficking.

  • D. Team Awareness: Ensuring our internal management, HR, and procurement operations maintain deep awareness of the Act and their role in supporting supply chain transparency.

  • E. Context-Specific Auditing: Understanding the heightened socio-economic and geographical risks that can occur in distinct coffee-growing territories, and tailoring our risk assessments accordingly.

3. Our Policy on Child Labour

3.1. We require all our suppliers to adhere to the standards set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and local national laws regarding the employment of children and young people. In particular:

 

  • A. Children must not be recruited before they have reached the age of completion of compulsory schooling, and in any case, not before the age of 15.

  • B. Individuals under the age of 18 must not be required to perform hazardous duties or any activity that jeopardises their health, safety, or education. They will not use or transport heavy or dangerous equipment, handle agricultural chemicals, or operate machinery or vehicles while working.

3.2. In regard to our coffee grower and cooperative partners, we are committed to:

  • A. Contractual Stipulations: Communicating our no-child-labour policy to all producer organisations, washing stations, and individual coffee growers we connect with, ensuring our supply contracts contain explicit compliance stipulations.

  • B. Local Legal Education: Informing our coffee-growing partners about the specific child labour laws in their respective countries and emphasizing the importance of enforcing these laws.

  • C. Periodic Verification: Reviewing our supply chains periodically through direct origin visits, supply chain documentation checks, and trusted import partners to ensure no child labour is utilized.

  • D. Active Remediation: Demanding and monitoring an immediate elimination and remediation plan in cases where any child labour issues are discovered on partner farms.

  • E. Holistic Support: Working alongside local stakeholders to create plans that support children, keeping their best interests in mind, and making proactive efforts to support their families and access to education.

4. What This Policy Means for You

4.1. We require all our staff, suppliers, contractors, agents, and all other individuals and businesses with whom we work to comply fully with this policy.

4.2. We require all relevant internal individuals:

  • To read and ensure they completely understand this policy;

  • To immediately report any behaviour or supply chain anomalies which they believe may breach this policy to an appropriate manager;

  • To communicate this policy to all relevant colleagues and business partners whenever appropriate.

4.3. We require all businesses and supply partners with whom we work:

  • To adopt policies and procedures within their own operations to enable them (and their staff) to comply with these anti-slavery standards;

  • To ensure that their hiring practices (including seasonal farm labour, pickers, and temporary staff hired via local agencies) establish that all workers are giving their labour of their own volition and are not being controlled or coerced;

  • To maintain transparent records to enable us to verify supply chain compliance annually;

  • To monitor the success of their own internal anti-slavery procedures in order to constantly raise industry standards.

5. Consequences of Breaching This Policy

5.1. Any employee of Live Coffee Limited who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for gross misconduct.

5.2. This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment and we may amend it at any time to reflect changing regulations or increased supply chain scope.

5.3. Live Coffee Limited reserves the right to immediately terminate our relationship, contracts, and purchasing agreements with green coffee suppliers, estates, cooperatives, or any other business partners if they breach this policy or fail to actively remediate identified risks.