Modern Slavery Statement - Genome Research Limited (including the Wellcome Sanger Institute)
Genome Research Limited is strongly opposed to slavery and human trafficking.
We strive to act ethically and with integrity in all of our dealings and relationships to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place within our organisation or our suppliers.
This statement provides some background to our organisation and our suppliers and sets out the steps we have taken during the financial year ended 30 September 2024 to assure ourselves that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in our organisation or our supply chain.
John-Arne Røttingen
Chair
Professor Matt Hurles
Director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute
Date: 12 December 2024
Our Organisation
Genome Research Limited is a charity registered in England and Wales. We are a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales. Our sole member is Wellcome.
We have one trading subsidiary (Genome Research Trading Limited) and are one of two members in another charitable company (Hinxton Hall Limited) that provides facilities for research and education at the Wellcome Genome Campus. This statement covers the three companies.
Our strategic objectives are to:
1. Advance understanding of biology using genome sequences and biodata
2. Apply genome science for human health and other societal benefits
3. Foster discussion of the scientific, medical and wider implications of genomes
Our work is overseen by our Board of Directors which has ultimate responsibility for all that we do. The Sanger Leadership Team, led by Matt Hurles, is responsible for leading the organisation and implementing its scientific vision and strategy.
Our Policies and Procedures
We operate a number of policies and procedures which reflect our commitment to acting properly in all of our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls.
Our key policies and procedures which contribute to minimising the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking in our organisation and supply chain include:
- Health, Safety & Welfare Policy – which supports the health, safety and welfare standards of all workers at the Wellcome Genome Campus.
- HR procedures – we check that all our staff have appropriate right to work documents and ensure that they are paid fairly.
- Procurement policy – which sets out our requirement that procurement activity should comply with all relevant laws and regulations and be carried out in an ethically and environmentally responsible way. The policy is also supported by our Purchasing Code of Ethics.
- Anti-fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy – which reinforces our commitment to behaving honestly and with integrity and empowers our staff to report fraudulent and corrupt behaviour.
- Whistleblowing policy – which provides support and guidance on how to report significant misconduct, wrongdoing or irregularity and is supported with an anonymous complaint/advice line accessible to all staff.
- Safeguarding policy – which sets out how we approach safeguarding across the organisation.
Our Supply Chain
We use suppliers to support the operations of our organisation. The key areas in which we engage suppliers are:
- scientific equipment and service suppliers;
- information technology;
- facilities management; and
- construction and design.
Our Supply Chain Due Diligence
The prevention of modern slavery is embedded in our contractual process. Our procurement team seeks to foster long-term relationships with suppliers, and this provides improved opportunity to work with trusted organisations that will advance policies aimed at minimising a range of risks (including the risk of slavery and human trafficking). We review our largest and higher risk suppliers and assess them to ensure that they have policies in place to minimise the risk of slavery and human trafficking in their business. During any re-tendering we take the opportunity to ensure relevant policies remain relevant and up to date.
We will continue to seek to optimise our approaches to procurement and our due diligence on suppliers which improve supplier vetting and minimise the risk of slavery and human trafficking.
This is a voluntary statement made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It constitutes Genome Research Limited’s modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024