Forest Gate (Corby) Ltd
Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Statement
Issued Jan 2026 | Review Date: Jan 2027
1. Introduction
Forest Gate (Corby) Ltd (“the Company”) is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings. We recognise that modern slavery and human trafficking are serious crimes and gross violations of fundamental human rights. This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps we have taken — and continue to take — to ensure that slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in our business or supply chains.
2. About Our Business
Forest Gate Automotive Group is a multi-franchise automotive dealership based in Corby Northamptonshire and Market Harborough, Leicestershire. We operate authorised franchises for Vauxhall Motors, KGM, Geely Auto UK and Xpeng UK, providing new vehicle sales, aftersales servicing, parts supply, and customer finance introductions. Our operations include showroom retail, fleet sales, and EV demonstration and activation activities.
Our workforce is primarily employed directly on standard UK employment contracts. We work with a range of suppliers and service providers, including vehicle manufacturers, parts distributors, specialist contractors, marketing agencies, and technology providers.
3. Our Supply Chains
Our principal supply chains include:
- Vehicle manufacturers and importers (Vauxhall Motors, KGM, Geely Auto UK, Xpeng UK and their parent groups)
- Genuine parts and accessories distributors
- Vehicle finance and insurance introducers
- IT, software, and telecoms providers
- Facilities management, cleaning, and maintenance contractors
- Marketing, print, and media suppliers
- Fleet and logistics contractors
We recognise that supply chains in the automotive sector can be complex and international in nature. Vehicle components and parts may originate from a broad range of countries, and we remain mindful of the elevated risks this can present.
4. Risk Assessment
We have assessed our business and supply chains against the following risk factors known to increase the likelihood of modern slavery:
4.1 Operational Risk
Our direct workforce operates in Corby and Market Harborough and is engaged under standard UK employment contracts with pay at or above the National Living Wage. Payroll is processed through compliant PAYE arrangements. We assess our direct employment risk as low.
4.2 Supply Chain Risk
We recognise that risk is higher in extended or international supply chains, particularly where goods or components are sourced from high-risk jurisdictions. Our franchise partners operate under global compliance frameworks, and we engage with their published policies on ethical sourcing. We continue to monitor for any changes to the risk profile of our key supply relationships.
4.3 Sector-Specific Risk
The automotive manufacturing sector, including the production of EV batteries and componentry, has been identified in published guidance as carrying elevated modern slavery risk in relation to the sourcing of raw materials such as cobalt, lithium, and rare earth minerals. We take this risk seriously and have raised awareness of it within our management team.
5. Our Policies
We maintain the following policies that are relevant to our approach to modern slavery:
5.1 Ethical Trading & Supplier Code of Conduct
We expect all suppliers and contractors engaged by Forest Gate Automotive Group to comply with our Supplier Code of Conduct, which requires that they:
- Pay all workers at or above the minimum wage applicable in the relevant jurisdiction
- Do not use forced, compulsory, trafficked, or child labour
- Provide safe and lawful working conditions
- Allow workers freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining where applicable
- Hold appropriate right-to-work documentation for all workers
5.2 Recruitment Policy
All recruitment carried out on behalf of Forest Gate (Corby) Ltd is conducted through lawful channels. We carry out right-to-work checks for all new employees in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, and we do not engage gangmasters or unlicensed labour providers. We do not charge recruitment fees to workers.
5.3 Whistleblowing Policy
We maintain a whistleblowing policy that encourages all staff, suppliers, and stakeholders to report, in good faith, any concerns about labour practices or potential modern slavery. Reports can be made to the Managing Director and may be made anonymously. We will not penalise anyone raising a genuine concern.
6. Due Diligence
Our due diligence activities during 2025–2026 have included:
- Reviewing our key supplier relationships with reference to modern slavery risk
- Engaging with our franchise partners (Geely Auto UK and Xpeng UK) regarding their published modern slavery and ethical sourcing policies
- Conducting right-to-work verification for all new direct employees
- Raising awareness of modern slavery indicators among management staff
- Including modern slavery compliance requirements in new supplier onboarding documentation
7. Training & Awareness
We are committed to building awareness of modern slavery risk across our team. During the period covered by this statement:
- Management staff have received briefing on the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and indicators of exploitation
- Information on how to report suspected cases has been communicated to all staff
- We are developing further training resources to be rolled out to all team members in the coming year
8. Key Performance Indicators
We intend to measure the effectiveness of our actions through the following indicators:
- Staff awareness training completion rates
- Number of concerns or reports raised through our whistleblowing channel
- Annual review of this statement and update of risk assessment
9. Future Steps
In the coming year, Forest Gate (Corby) Ltd intends to:
- Formalise and roll out staff training on modern slavery to all employees
- Embed modern slavery compliance questions into our supplier onboarding and renewal processes
- Engage further with our franchise partners on supply chain transparency, particularly regarding raw material sourcing in EV battery supply chains
- Review and update this statement annually
10. Approval
This statement has been approved by the management of Forest Gate Automotive Group and will be reviewed annually.
This statement is published on the Forest Gate Automotive Group website in accordance with section 54(6) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. A copy is available to any supplier, partner, or member of the public upon request.