Our ethos is based upon fairness and respect for human rights. We are proud of the role G4S and its employees play in society and the positive contribution that they make each day to the protection of human rights around the world.

We recognise that we have a duty to ensure that we are vigilant to the risk of human rights violations through the services we provide, the customers with whom we work, the suppliers we use, or through the treatment of our colleagues and others in our care.

Everyone at G4S has a responsibility to respect and protect human rights and any abuse is completely unacceptable under any circumstances.

G4S’s human rights policy and its related framework are based upon the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights. Alongside our values, the framework reinforces the continued development of a business model which supports the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through the creation of decent employment, the global improvement of industry standards and by helping to create secure and stable communities.

Refreshing our policies

In 2020, we reviewed and relaunched a number of our ethics and social responsibility policies. Our new Ethics Code (launched in February 2021) sets out the ethical standards which apply to all G4S businesses and employees. In addition, we have also updated our whistleblowing policy, anti-bribery & corruption framework and our human rights policy and accompanying guidance.

The updated human rights policy and guidance were launched in March 2021 and set out our commitment and approach to human rights, including the responsibility of our management with regard to ongoing risk assessment, regular thematic audit and compliance monitoring.

Respecting human rights in the supply chain

G4S has partnered with EcoVadis to help us ensure that our suppliers in high-risk categories meet the ethical standards set out in our Supplier Code of Conduct. 

The programme requires in-scope suppliers to complete an assessment tailored to their industry, size and location.  This assessment covers 21 criteria covering labour and human rights, ethics, environment and sustainable procurement. 

The supplier’s responses are analysed by EcoVadis, which provides both the supplier and G4S with a detailed report setting out the supplier’s sustainability performance. Where their performance does not meet the required levels, a corrective action plan must be submitted to G4S to address any issues raised.  

Implementation began in 2019, with our UK businesses. As of April 2021, the programme has been extended to our businesses in Belgium, Denmark, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Across these countries, around 3.5% of our suppliers have been categorised as potentially high-risk, including manufacturers of electronics and uniforms, and cleaning and temporary labour.  

Over 200 EcoVadis assessments have been completed, representing 60% of in-scope suppliers and we  are pleased that 88% of those have achieved a satisfactory rating.

We are working with any organisations which have not achieved a satisfactory rating or who have declined to take part in the programme to address any shortfalls and encourage participation. A number of organisations have failed to fully engage with the programme and have been excluded from our supplier database as a result.

We continue to utilise this experience and expand the programme internationally. In 2021, we expect to extend the programme to our businesses in India, Kenya, Luxembourg, South Africa and the USA. By the end of 2023, we aim to have implemented the programme across our top 20 highest spending businesses, to cover 80% of G4S’s total procurement spend. 

Additionally, we have:

• Published a ‘G4S Supply Chain Social Principles’ guidance document, to help G4S procurement teams provide clarity to suppliers on the social standards expected of them

• Commenced implementation in our UK businesses, of ‘Integrity Next’, an online supplier monitoring platform that covers key aspects of ethical and sustainability requirements

• Delivered briefings on modern slavery to G4S procurement teams and in-scope suppliers
  
  
• Issued communications to colleagues about modern slavery in the supply chain and G4S’s commitments

Enhancing the protection of migrant workers

G4S is a leading global employer that is committed to the highest standards of employment and this includes ensuring that migrant workers are treated fairly and with dignity and respect.

• Over the last two years we have made significant enhancements to our existing policies and invested in our processes and controls to support and protect migrant workers across the Group:

• Adopted the ‘Employer Pays’ principle as set out in the Principles of the Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment (LGRR). Implementation of this principle began in 2020 and has been completed in Oman, Thailand and UAE. We are committed to completion in all markets well ahead of the LGRR objective of 2026 

• Reviewed and updated our Migrant Worker Policy and Framework, based upon good practice principles for the protection of employees who are working away from their home country 
  
  
• Appointed Migrant Worker Coordinators (MWCs) who test compliance on the ground, directly with employees to ensure that G4S policies are being applied.
  
  MWCs are independent of the local management team and report directly to Regional Management outside of the country, who are responsible for ensuring that migrant workers' voices are heard and that issues raised by employees are promptly addressed. 
  
  During 2020 and while travel to the countries has been restricted due to COVID-19, remote surveys have been used to assess compliance with our standards. As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, we expect face to face compliance interviews with migrant workers to re-commence.

• Undertaken modern slavery briefing sessions for the leadership teams of all G4S businesses employing migrant workers
  
  
• Established a Modern Slavery Steering Group to continually review the progress on implementing our migrant worker policies and standards across the Group
  
  
• Continued to engage with interested stakeholders, including the Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund and UNI, the global union federation, under our Ethical Employment Partnership (EEP), to improve industry standards.
  
  
• Reviewed accommodation for migrant workers and made a number of changes to enhance facilities

For further information please see our Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Statements.