Modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year 2023/24

Introduction

This statement is made under Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The statement outlines the steps we have taken to target modern slavery in our organisation and in our supply chains during the financial year April 2023 to March 2024 as well as further actions we will take during 2024/25.

Organisational structure

Magna Housing Limited (Magna) was formed in 2017 from the amalgamation of Magna Housing Group Ltd, Magna Housing Association Ltd and Magna West Somerset Housing Association Ltd. Magna is the parent company of Charter (SW) Limited. Both are limited companies and registered in England.

Magna is a community benefit society registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and operates under charitable rules.

Magna is a registered provider, registered with the Regulator of Social Housing and affiliated to the National Housing Federation.

At the end of 2023/24 we employed 467 full and part-time employees. Our annual turnover exceeds £36 million.

Our Commitment

We operate exclusively in the southwest of England. Our supply chains include goods, works and services for the construction, repair, and maintenance of our residential properties and to run our offices. We have identified that our overall exposure to the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking is quite low. However, we have taken and plan to take, several measures to help ensure that there is no modern slavery in our supply chains or in any part of our business.

We provide guidance for colleagues through our safeguarding e-learning, which is mandatory. Our safeguarding policies and procedures ensure colleagues understand and can report any concerns regarding potential abuse of adults at risk. Our equality, diversity, and inclusion policy outlines our commitments to inclusion for all and specifies the roles played by everyone working for Magna.

Colleagues can report any concerns they may have about any aspects of our work, including modern slavery. These reports can be made confidentially.

During 2023/24 we:

Continued to review training provision for colleagues so that the content is fit for purpose and colleagues understand modern slavery, links with safeguarding and inclusion.

Revised and reissued a new procurement policy and updated procedures.

Continued to deliver our inclusion action plan.

Restructured our operational teams to ensure the customer is at the heart of what we do. Our neighbourhood teams will be well positioned to get to know their customers and to better identify any potential safeguarding issues.

Continued building trusted relationships with the police and local authorities to ensure we work together to combat issues such as modern slavery.

During 2024/25 we will:

Look to acquire access to a supplier due diligence platform that will increase our capacity to monitor our supply chains compliance to Modern Slavery and other ethical, sustainability and governance considerations.

Begin delivery of inclusion training for all colleagues

Create an inclusion steering group

Continue to review outcomes and actions from our work with Grand Union on Customer Segmentation

Recruit into our Procurement team to ensure we have the right capability and capacity.

Suzanne Muncaster

Head of People

If you are a victim and need help, or if you want to report a suspicion or seek advice about modern slavery in the UK you can contact the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700.

Or visit the website https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/