Policy
Modern Slavery Policy
This policy explains how Connected Places Catapult (“CPC”) prevents and addresses modern slavery, and how we meet our obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (“MSA”).
It also sets expectations for our suppliers and business partners, and describes the controls we use to reduce the risk of modern slavery in CPC’s operations and supply chains.
This policy was approved by CPC’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in 2026 and will be reviewed annually.
1. What is modern slavery?
Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It includes slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking. These practices involve the exploitation of people and the deprivation of liberty for personal or commercial gain.
Indicators can include (for example) restriction of movement, retention of identity documents, threats or intimidation, excessive working hours, unsafe conditions, or withholding of wages. If you have concerns about Modern Slavery within our supply chain then you should raise them in accordance with the reporting process in section 5.
2. CPC’s approach
CPC has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business dealings and relationships.
CPC is dedicated to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in its business or supply chain. Further, it is committed to ensuring there is transparency in its approach to tackling modern slavery throughout the supply chain – consistent with its obligations under the MSA.
CPC expects the same high standards from all of its agents, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and their sub-contractors, consultants, third-party representatives and other business partners.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all CPC colleagues and to anyone working for, or on behalf of, CPC. This includes employees, workers, agency staff, secondees, interns/work experience, volunteers, and any third parties (including contractors and consultants) who provide services to CPC or who procure goods and services on CPC’s behalf.
4. Responsibilities
Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
SLT is responsible for approving this policy and for providing oversight of CPC’s approach to tackling modern slavery.
Procurement Team
The Procurement Team has primary and day-to-day responsibility for ensuring that procurement processes are effective in countering modern slavery, including:
- implementing this policy;
- providing an induction process to new starters within the Procurement Team;
- delivering regular training to relevant people in the business;
- monitoring the use and effectiveness of procurement processes;
- dealing with any queries; and
- auditing internal control systems and procedures.
Management
Management at all levels of CPC are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with this policy and that they are given adequate time to attend training regarding the issue of modern slavery in supply chains as appropriate.
Colleagues
The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of CPC’s business or supply chain is the responsibility of everyone working for or under the control of CPC.
5. Reporting Process
Raise your concerns
If modern slavery is suspected either within CPC’s own business or as part of the supply chain, take one or more of the following actions:
- If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call the emergency services.
- avoid any further activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy;
- raise the concern with your Director at the earliest opportunity (or, if appropriate, directly with the Procurement Team); and
- notify the Procurement Team as soon as possible if you believe or suspect that a breach of this policy has occurred, or may occur in the future (you may also seek support from the HR Team).
If you are unsure about what constitutes the various forms of modern slavery, please contact the Procurement Team.
CPC will assess concerns promptly, take appropriate steps to investigate, and escalate to SLT and/or relevant authorities where required. Where concerns relate to a supplier, CPC may require corrective action, suspend work, or terminate the relationship depending on the circumstances.
Feel safe to raise your concern
CPC is committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of reporting their suspicion that modern slavery is, or may be, taking place in any part of the business or its supply chain.
If you do not feel comfortable raising your concern internally, you can raise it with our independent whistleblowing service, SeeHearSpeakUp. Refer to the Whistleblowing Policy for more information.
Zero-tolerance
CPC may terminate its relationship with individuals, suppliers, and organisations if they are deemed to have breached this policy.
6. Communication and Awareness
CPC’s zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery will be adequately communicated to all agents, contractors, suppliers, consultants, third-party representatives, and other business partners and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.
- Whistleblowing Policy
- Disciplinary Policy
- Grievance Policy
- Procurement Policy
Privacy
Modern Slavery Statement
1. Introduction
This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the “Act”), to help ensure that modern slavery does not occur within Connected Places Catapult (“CPC”) or its supply chain.
CPC has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business dealings and relationships.
2. About Connected Places Catapult
At CPC, we provide impartial ‘innovation as a service’ for public bodies, businesses, and infrastructure providers to catalyse step-change improvements in the way people live, work and travel.
We connect businesses and public sector leaders to cutting-edge research to spark innovation and grow new markets. We run technology demonstrators and SME accelerators to scale new solutions that drive growth, spread prosperity, and eliminate carbon.
We are committed to ensure that there is a transparency in our business and supply chain, consistent with the Act and we expect that our suppliers will hold their own suppliers to the same high standards.
3. Due Diligence
We have systems and procedures in place to identify, assess and monitor potential risk areas in our supply chains as part of the procurement process.
4. Our Policies
We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery in our supply chains or in any part of our business.
Our Modern Slavery policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains.
Our Whistleblowing Policy offers an independent channel for employees to raise concerns and report suspected wrongdoing in the knowledge that their concerns will be taken seriously, appropriately investigated, and their confidentiality respected.
Our Procurement Policy outlines the Due-Diligence process followed for any procurement.
5. Further Steps
Periodic training is given to colleagues in accordance with the learning and development framework and training needs analysis.
We will continue to review and update our policies to ensure they are up to date and shared with all employees.
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Business Fellow Network
A network of Knowledge Exchange experts with a strong track record in accelerating innovation, funded jointly by the Connected Places Catapult and the participating academic institutions.
Our aim is to bring university outputs closer to commercialisation and enable academics to increase industry engagement, entrepreneurship and research impact as well as creating commercial and CR&D opportunities between Connected Places Catapult, universities and industry.
We engaged with the Business Fellows from January 2019, engaging 14 Business Fellows across 13 Universities that year and expanding the Network to 15 Fellows across the total of 20 universities from 2021.
Business Fellows were based in their academic partner institutions, bringing research outputs closer to commercialisation. This enabled academics to increase their industry engagement, entrepreneurship and research impact to support their universities to achieve Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) targets.
For any questions please contact Academia@cp.catapult.org.uk
Testimonials
“…I would recommend a Business Fellowship as a great way of working with Connected Places Catapult. I appreciated the opportunity to work with the Catapult colleagues and broaden my networks. One of the personal highlights was an introduction to innovative tools such as design thinking, used by the Catapult with companies. For me, this really encaptured the methodology for co-creating good research collaborations…”
Vicki Ayton, Business Development Manager, CREST, University of Chester
I would thoroughly recommend becoming part of the Connected Places Catapult Business Fellows Network. It has opened new conversations and ways of thinking in my role as Managing Director of Future Towns Innovation Hub at Southampton. I have also been inspired by the work of other Fellows and tapped into the breadth and depth of knowledge at the CPC to forge what is turning out be a very valued relationship.
Prof Clinton Styles, Associate Dean Enterprise at University of Southampton
Connected Places Catapult’s Business Fellow Network provides a great opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the Catapult and what its role is in relation to its key areas of priority. Being engaged in the Network enable me to develop vital links with members of the Catapult team to explore collaborative opportunities, to enable me to connect academics with key people within the Catapult and to engage with their network to build links with SMEs partners.
Dr. Hitesh H Patel, Senior Business Development Manager, Brunel University London
We are excited to give an early notice that we plan to expand the Business Fellow Network, with recruitment for Wave 3 planned for this summer. Role description will be available soon.
Please sign up to our Academic Network to ensure that you get alerted to this opportunity once we launch recruitment.
In the meantime, please feel free to connect with one of the Business Fellow Alumni to find our more about this programme and benefits to the Fellows.
Previous cohorts
The second wave
Wave 2 ran from December 2020 to March 2022, with 15 Business Fellows taking part across 15 universities.
The aim is to bring university outputs closer to commercialisation and enable academics to increase their industry engagement.
Business Fellows Network – Wave 2
File type: pdf
File size: 11.44Mb
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The First Wave
Wave 1 ran from January to December 2019, engaging 14 Business Fellows across 13 universities. Business Fellows were based in their academic partner institutions, bringing research outputs closer to commercialisation.
This enables academics to increase their industry engagement, entrepreneurship and research impact to support their universities to achieve Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) targets.
Business Fellows Network – Wave 1
File type: pdf
File size: 63.18Mb
Download Report
