More construction giants sign the GLAA Construction Protocol

The construction industry continues to pledge its commitment to tackling modern slavery and labour exploitation with another construction giant signing the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority’s (“GLAA”) Construction Protocol (“the Protocol”).

The Protocol aims to bring an end to labour abuse across the UK by encouraging companies to work in partnership with the GLAA to protect vulnerable and exploited workers. This will occur through the sharing information to help stop or prevent exploitation and pledge to raise awareness of slavery through construction industry supply chains.

Aggregate Industries, the latest big name from the construction industry to pledge its commitment, has over 330 sites and more than 4,100 employees and produces and supplies a range of construction materials such as aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete products. Aggregate Industries joins several influential organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, the Chartered Institute of Building and Morgan Sindall Group.

The Protocol summarises nine agreements;

1. All parties will, where possible, share information that will help stop or prevent the exploitation or abuse of workers.
2. All information will be treated sensitively and appropriately and in accordance with legislation.
3. Suppliers and contractors will encourage their respective suppliers to make available to the GLAA any information which may indicate that labour exploitation has occurred.
4. The GLAA will provide appropriate advice to suppliers and contractors when contacted.
5. The GLAA recognises and respects the contractual relationships between contractors, suppliers and labour providers and looks to the contracting parties to ensure that their arrangements promote compliance with UK employment law, such that GLAA enforcement and contractual enforcement are in step.
6. All parties will work together to raise awareness within the supply chain to help to prevent and protect workers from exploitation or abuse.
7. All parties agree to take the necessary steps to ensure that exploitation and abuse of workers identified by a GLAA operation is recognised and addressed with the appropriate safeguards put in place to ensure that exploitative practice is not repeated.
8. All parties will work together to promote the benefits and achievements of the Protocol through external engagement at the appropriate times.
9. All parties will communicate on a regular basis in the interests of an effective Protocol agreement.

The Protocol document elaborates on each agreement further, explaining how each action will be monitored, measured and subsequently achieved.

Aspire Comment

Employing around three million people, construction is a particularly risky sector with many labourers being paid at, or around, the National Minimum Wage with widespread use of agency labour and a reliance on migrant labour. As such, it is vital that the GLAA is working in collaboration with some of the key players in the industry to prevent labour abuse.

To avoid the reputational and financial risk of modern slavery taking place somewhere within your organisation or supply chain, get in touch with Aspire to discuss how we can help.