Modern slavery statement

This statement for the financial year 2025 to 2026 outlines the steps we have taken to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place in our supply chain.

Foreword

James Lowth, programme and contract assurance director, March 2026:

The Mining Remediation Authority remains firmly committed to supporting the UK government’s objective to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking in all its forms.

We recognise that modern slavery is a serious violation of human rights and that public bodies have a responsibility to take robust, proportionate action to identify, prevent and mitigate the risks within their operations and supply chains.

During 2025 to 2026, we have continued to strengthen our approach to modern slavery through embedding due diligence within our procurement and contract management processes, engaging proactively with suppliers, and aligning our practices with Government Commercial Function guidance.

We work closely with our suppliers to promote transparency, responsible sourcing and continuous improvement, and we are clear in our expectation that they share our zero‑tolerance approach to modern slavery.

We also recognise that addressing modern slavery is not a one‑off exercise, but an ongoing commitment. We continue to review our risk assessments, governance arrangements and training provision to ensure they remain effective and proportionate to the nature of our activities. Where risks are identified, we take appropriate action and work collaboratively with suppliers to drive improvement.

This statement sets out the steps we have taken during the 2025 to 2026 financial year and outlines our planned actions to further strengthen our approach in the year ahead. We welcome challenge and collaboration as we continue to improve our practices and play our part in tackling modern slavery across our supply chains.

Background

Modern slavery and human trafficking are a crime and an abuse of human rights. It is imperative that across our organisation that we embrace the opportunity to address the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking throughout our business activities and supply chains.

This statement outlines the policies, processes, and actions that we have taken over the previous year to understand the potential impact to the Mining Remediation Authority from modern slavery and future planned actions to further support our commitment to the eradication of modern slavery across our supply chains.

This statement relates to the financial year ending 31 March 2026 as well as a future look for the next financial year and is in full accordance with the following legislation and guidance:

Our commitments

The Mining Remediation Authority is committed to protecting and respecting human rights and maintain a zero-tolerance approach towards modern slavery.

We do not enter into business with any organisation which knowingly supports or is found to be involved in slavery, servitude or forced or compulsory labour.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, we’re also committed to creating and ensuring a non-discriminatory and respectful working environment for our people.

Our recruitment and people management processes are designed to ensure that all prospective employees are legally entitled to work in the UK.

We commit to adopting best practice approaches to understand modern slavery risk, to foster positive supplier relationships, and to invest in continuous improvement of due diligence, monitoring, and reporting.

During 2025 to 2026, we continued to embed responsibility for modern slavery mitigation within the procurement function.

Our sustainable procurement business partner continues to drive activity on modern slavery, responsible sourcing and risk monitoring.

Our business and supply chain

The Mining Remediation Authority is a non-departmental public body and partner organisation of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

We manage the legacy of the former coal mining industry on behalf of the governments across England, Scotland and Wales.

We also use our skills to provide services to other government departments and agencies, local governments and commercial partners as we deliver our mission of making a better future for people and the environment in mining areas.

Our purpose includes:

  • keeping people safe and provide peace of mind
  • protecting and enhance the environment
  • using our information and expertise to help people make informed decisions
  • creating value and minimising cost to the taxpayer

For further details on our business vision and ambitions, see our business plan.

We engage with a range of suppliers from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large corporations, the majority of which are UK based.

Our main suppliers provide technical and specialist construction related services, which support our core activity.

While we assess ourselves to have a generally low risk of modern slavery in our business activity, we acknowledge that electronics, information and communication technology (ICT) hardware, construction and service staff are the highest risk areas for us and therefore focus on these appropriately.

Our suppliers are sourced through pre-qualified UK Government Crown Commercial Services and other public sector frameworks, as well as through competitive tender on the open market.

Our sourcing activity is undertaken in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023.

Our policies in relation to modern slavery

We are committed to doing the right thing by ensuring we respect human rights and the environment.

We manage a governance framework for all material focus areas within our sustainable framework and follow best practice guidelines provided by the Government Commercial Function, on which our policy and processes are based.

The following policies are available to all staff through our intranet:

  • whistleblowing policy
  • bullying and harassment policy
  • diversity and inclusion policy
  • recruitment and selection policy
  • upcoming supplier code of conduct and sustainable procurement policy (2026)

Due diligence within our supply chain

We follow the Government Commercial Function guidance and build appropriate measures into our sourcing, supplier on-boarding and contract management processes, therefore minimising our exposure to risk.

Using supply chain due diligence principles enables us to make a judgement on transactions and the integrity of our supply chain.

We aim to build relationships with our suppliers to ensure they comply with our values and that they are aware of our commitment to protect human rights and the environment.

As part of our procurement process, suppliers are required to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, as well as appropriate contractual obligations with contract termination as a potential sanction for non-compliance.

Any contractor who is identified as a cause for concern regarding modern slavery be referred for investigation via the National Crime Agency’s national referral mechanism.

Where possible, further modern slavery mitigation measures are embedded into medium and high-risk contracts through the procurement process and measures such as Modern Slavery Assessment Tool (MSAT) requirements or assessing modern slavery practice through social value criteria theme 1.

Risk assessment and management

Following the guidance provided by the Government Commercial Function, in 2025, we undertook a full risk assessment review of our tier 1 supply base and categorised our contracts as low, medium or high-risk by assessing these against key modern slavery risk indicators.

We subsequently engaged with each of our medium and high-risk category suppliers to further understand their modern slavery risk across their supply chains using the MSAT.

Suppliers are continuing to review and update their modern slavery due diligence in line with their improvement activity commitments made to us as well as reviewing their MSAT submissions annually.

We continue to engage with suppliers through our contracts to embed appropriate due diligence based on those identified risk levels.

If a supplier fails to adequately remediate the issue, the relationship would be re-evaluated and, if necessary, terminated.

Key performance indicators

Where potential modern slavery impacts are identified within a contract requirement, we will work with our suppliers to develop appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor and manage performance in regard to these risks.

Where the MSAT requirement has been embedded through procurement processes, the improvement activity generated will be transferred into KPIs through the contract life as well as the requirement to update their MSAT response annually.

Training on modern slavery and trafficking

All procurement team members are required to undertake mandatory modern slavery awareness training.

We will ensure our staff involved in procurement activity are aware of and follow modern slavery procurement guidance on GOV.UK.

Procurement business partners complete the Government Commercial Function College training modules on tackling modern slavery in supply chains as well as the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supplies (CIPS) online course on ethical procurement and supply.

Continuous improvement

Looking ahead, we will:

  • continue embedding modern slavery due diligence in procurement and contract management practices
  • strengthen internal reporting channels
  • collaborate with suppliers to improve transparency and traceability
  • align reporting with evolving government procurement policy and social value frameworks
  • aim to include the wider business in the requirement to complete modern slavery training on an annual basis
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