Hurdale Charity LTD
Modern Slavery Statement
For the year ended 30 November 2025
Hurdale Charity LTD is a charity devoted to improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children through child-focused international relief, development, and advocacy. Hurdale Charity LTD works primarily with children, families, communities, and churches as well as various non-governmental organisations, international authorities and governments to achieve the best outcomes for children.
Hurdale Charity LTD has a zero-tolerance stance on acts of modern slavery and human trafficking. It is pro- active in taking steps to prevent such acts occurring within its own supply chain and to ensure that on programmes it only partners with organisations that also observe appropriate ethical standards.
As Hurdale Charity LTD is not a commercial organisation within the meaning set out in s54(2) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the ‘Act’) (because its income is mostly derived from grants and other donations and its turnover is below the threshold set out in s3(1) of the Act (Transparency in Supply Chains) Regulations 2015), it is not required to publish a statement. Hurdale Charity LTD therefore publishes this statement on a voluntary basis.
This is a slavery and human trafficking statement within the meaning of section 54 of the Act for the financial year ended 30 September 2025 (‘FY25’) and outlines Hurdale Charity LTD’s continued efforts towards tackling modern slavery and human trafficking in its supply chain and wider activities. The structure of this statement follows the order of section 54(5) of the Act.
Structure, Activities and Supply Chain
Hurdale Charity LTD is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales and a registered charity. The Board of Trustees of Hurdale Charity LTD is responsible for the overall control of the organisation, its strategic direction and ensuring that it is properly managed.
Programme Delivery
Hurdale Charity LTD is one of several ‘support offices’ which raise funds for the WV Partnership’s overseas relief and development programmes. Programmes financed by Hurdale Charity LTD-raised funds are usually delivered by in-country WV Partnership Entities, with technical and other support provided by Hurdale Charity LTD as required. Most of Hurdale Charity LTD’s expenditure on overseas programmes is therefore made through other WV Partnership Entities. Hurdale Charity LTD has long-term relationships with other WV Partnership Entities and there is a culture of transparency within the WV Partnership. All WV Partnership Entities share the same zero-tolerance stance in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking and are subject to the WV Partnership policy documents described below.
Hurdale Charity LTD provides grant funded project start up training for staff and partners who will deliver projects in communities overseas. The training content includes: the details of what is considered modern slavery, who is affected, what the signs are and what staff should do if they suspect that modern slavery is taking place.
Programme expenditure is sometimes made through non-Hurdale Charity LTD partners where this is appropriate for effective implementation. This statement sets out the steps Hurdale Charity LTD takes to ensure that third parties engaged in Hurdale Charity LTD-funded programmes are also taking appropriate action to mitigate the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking. This includes putting in place appropriate community level feedback and complaints mechanisms.
UK Operations
Hurdale Charity LTD uses various suppliers to enable it to carry out its charitable activities, including in the areas of fundraising, marketing, IT, office facilities and employment. Hurdale Charity LTD does not generally work directly with suppliers in sectors which are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking such as construction or farming.
Hurdale Charity LTD remains vigilant and has policies and procedures in place to mitigate the risk of human trafficking and modern slavery affecting its supply chain.
Policies and Procedures
Hurdale Charity LTD’s internal policies and the WV Partnership documents adopted by Hurdale Charity LTD, are listed below, all of which have a role to play in tackling modern slavery:
1. Hurdale Charity LTD Ethical Policy – ensures that through due diligence procedures consideration is given to the track record of significant donors, partners or suppliers in areas including human rights and/or workers’ rights and the use of bonded or child labour.
2. Hurdale Charity LTD Code of Conduct - emphasises Hurdale Charity LTD’s commitment to conduct that is ethical and legal, that Hurdale Charity LTD opposes illegal acts in any of its activities and that Hurdale Charity LTD requires adherence by its personnel to all applicable laws and organisational policies.
3. Hurdale Charity LTD Contract Policy – confirms that the core elements of due diligence include that reasonable steps must be taken to confirm compliance with our Modern Slavery Statement in choosing our partner organisations.
4. Hurdale Charity LTD Enterprise Risk Management Policy - ensures effective management of risks to which Hurdale Charity LTD is exposed through its activities. The policy is reviewed every two years and approved by the Board of Trustees.
5. Hurdale Charity LTD Safeguarding Policy – provides a standard of conduct for all employees, consultants, contractors, partners, volunteers, interns, casual workers and agency workers to ensure we are protecting members of the communities in which we operate and who participate in our programmes, our employees and the personnel of those working with us. The Safeguarding Policy is updated annually. Further details of this policy and the associated behaviour protocols are set out in the next section of this Statement.
6. Hurdale Charity LTD Whistleblowing Policy – provides procedures for internally reporting specific types of misconduct as well as illegal acts generally. The policy is reviewed annually and approved by the Hurdale Charity LTD Board of Trustees. Hurdale Charity LTD publishes a Whistleblowing Statement on its website, and which includes a telephone number and email address through which concerns about misconduct or malpractice can be reported.
7. The Hurdale Charity LTD International Partnership Global Supply Chain Management Procurement Policies Manual (July 2021) requires consideration to be given to the principles of sustainable procurement, including relating to social impact, when making procurement decisions. Hurdale Charity LTD upholds the highest ethical procurement standards and will not knowingly conduct business with any supplier found to be non-compliant with our operating standards. To ensure appropriate measures are put in place to screen and prevent procurement staff from awarding business to individual independent contractors or third-party suppliers who have been found to be in breach of World Vision’s procurement standards, the organisation operates a ‘Do Not Re-engage Supplier Process’ to flag suppliers to prevent engagement, re-engagement. The Process also includes guidance when a supplier must be deactivated.
8. The Hurdale Charity LTD International Partnership Guide to Humanitarian Standards reminds staff involved in the implementation of programmes of the risk of trafficking and directs staff to use socially responsible businesses and local labour and ensure that procedures are in place to provide a safe working environment and appropriate remuneration.
9. Hurdale Charity LTD International Partnership Management Policy Integrity and Protection Whistleblower. The Hurdale Charity Partnership uses a leading third-party provider of ethical reporting services to support the Hurdale Charity Partnership’s ‘whistleblowing’ mechanism. A confidential telephone hotline and an online reporting tool are available in all countries in which the Hurdale Charity Partnership works to staff, partners, contractors and others wishing to report suspected illegal or unethical conduct by the Hurdale Charity Partnership or its personnel. This includes reporting any concerns in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking which may be taking place within Hurdale Charity LTD’s business or supply chain.
Safeguarding Policy and Behaviour Protocols
The Hurdale Charity LTD Safeguarding Policy, which is reviewed annually, prohibits all Hurdale Charity LTD representatives from hiring children in any form of child labour (which it defines as work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous or harmful to children or that interferes with their schooling). The policy includes enhanced standards for reporting, prevention and managing responses to harm or abuse of beneficiaries and associates.
The Hurdale Charity LTD Behaviour Protocols are also reviewed annually and state clearly what is unacceptable behaviour, calling out sexual exploitation and abuse, all other forms of abuse, humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour, and the hiring of children for any form of child labour which includes ‘house help’. We are committed to continuous improvement of our safeguarding efforts to protect all people and ensuring we do no harm to others.
Hurdale Charity LTD provides Board members, employees, consultants, contractors, volunteers, interns, casual workers and agency workers with the Hurdale Charity LTD Safeguarding Policy. Annually, Board members and employees are required to confirm their adherence to our Behavioural Protocols.
The Safeguarding Policy and Behaviour Protocols must be read and signed by consultants, contractors or other third parties engaged by Hurdale Charity LTD. Employees or any person or entity engaged in connection with a contract with Hurdale Charity LTD, who may have access to beneficiaries and or personal data, must read and sign the Behaviour Protocols as confirmation that they will adhere to the provisions contained in the Protocols.
Agreements
Hurdale Charity LTD’s agreements with downstream partners on programmes, both WV Partnership Entities and non-Hurdale Charity LTD partners, include obligations relating to workers’ rights, including that the partner will not employ, enslave, engage or otherwise use forced labour, trafficked labour or child labour.
Staff Training
Hurdale Charity LTD provides induction training for new employees that includes specific content on modern slavery. Refresher training is provided periodically to employees to remind them about what modern slavery is, who is likely to be affected by these practices, what the signs are and what staff should do if they suspect that modern slavery is taking place.
Due Diligence
Hurdale Charity LTD conducts robust due diligence checks on its suppliers to minimise the risk of Hurdale Charity LTD engaging directly or indirectly with an organisation involved in unethical practices or of such an organisation being involved in programmes funded by Hurdale Charity LTD. These procedures ensure that ethical purchasing is a consideration in the selection of suppliers and for significant suppliers, an ethical due diligence checklist must be completed which requires staff to consider the track record of the supplier in areas including human and workers’ rights and use of bonded or child labour.
In the context of programmes, Hurdale Charity LTD completes due diligence checks on all partners and requires those partners to carry out checks on their sub-contractors to confirm that neither the partner nor their sub-contractors have any association or involvement in excluded sectors or practices.
Hurdale Charity LTD has identified the following as excluded sectors and practices and avoids association with them: tobacco, gambling, weapons, coal, pornography, exploitative credit, environmental degradation, unethical marketing techniques, infringement of workers’ rights, bonded or child labour, slavery and human trafficking, sexual or racial discrimination, abuse of indigenous rights and conflict financing.
In addition, partners are asked to provide Hurdale Charity LTD with a copy of their ethical policies, including in relation to labour practices and human rights. Where it is proposed that a partner is engaged by another WV Partnership Entity in the programme country, Hurdale Charity LTD requires that WV Partnership Entity to carry out appropriate due diligence. Hurdale Charity LTD staff review the results of this exercise to ensure that only partner entities which meet Hurdale Charity LTD’s standards are involved in Hurdale Charity LTD-funded programmes.
Reporting and Investigating Modern Slavery Violations
A report of a suspected violation of Hurdale Charity LTD’s Modern Slavery Statement should be made through the following means:
Whistleblowing Helpline telephone number: 08000 328483. This is a freephone telephone number.
Contact the Hurdale Charity LTD Safeguarding Lead directly: by telephone 01908 841008 or Mobile +44(0) 7769490449 or email john.cole@hurdalecharity.org
Contact the UK Charity Commission by email: whistleblowing@charitycommission.gov.uk or by telephone 0300 066 9197.
Contact the Modern Slavery Helpline by telephone: 0800 0121700.
All reports will be received by the Hurdale Charity LTD Safeguarding Lead, who will review and assess the report and take responsibility for organising an investigation.
Each case will be comprehensively documented and will include an assessment of potential risks to the organisation, proposed mitigations to the organisation and will consider whether reports to regulatory organisations are required. Hurdale Charity LTD will always place the need for survivor-centred support at the forefront of any investigations into modern slavery.
The details of all confirmed modern slavery violations will be reported to the Strategic Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees to ensure that preventative actions are understood and fully implemented.
Incidents in Financial Year 2024 - 2025
Hurdale Charity LTD had no reports of Modern Slavery or human trafficking during the 2024 - 2025 Financial Year.
Conclusion
Hurdale Charity LTD remains committed to keeping its policies, procedures and training under review and updating these as needed to maximise the contribution it makes to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking internationally.
This statement has been approved by the Board of Trustees of Hurdale Charity LTD on 21 December 2025.