Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Our commitment to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in our organisation and supply chains.

About the Small Business Commissioner

The Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) is an independent public body established by Government under the Enterprise Act 2016 to tackle overdue payments and unfavourable payment practices in the private sector.  

Its mission is to make life easier for small businesses by getting money moving through the economy and streamlining support. It achieves this by supporting small businesses to get paid quickly and on time, influencing larger businesses to reduce their payment times to suppliers and working with all businesses to improve the culture of payment practices across the UK. 

The OSBC has a statutory duty to review enquiries and investigate formal complaints made by small businesses regarding late and overdue payments, as well as providing advice and support on issues relating to overdue payments and payment practices in the private sector.  

It undertakes a range of activity to improve outcomes for small businesses and works across Government, and with partners in the private and third sector, to raise awareness of the impact of overdue payments and unfair payment practices across the whole of the UK, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.   

As an Arm’s Length Body (ALB), classified as a Non-Departmental Public Body, the OSBC is accountable to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade through its sponsorship team at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The OSBC collaborates intensively with its sponsorship team at the Department for Business and Trade, various partnership teams within DBT, and the Minister for Small Business, to provide valuable insights into issues impacting the small business sector, including the effects of Government policy and legislation.

Our commitment to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015

OSBC is fully committed to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking and are dedicated to ensuring that these practices have no place in our organisation or supply chains. We strive to act ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and to implement effective systems and controls to safeguard against any form of modern slavery.

Through robust policies and procedures, we continue to take steps to ensure that neither slavery nor human trafficking (together, referred to as ‘modern slavery’) occurs in our organisation or supply chains. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to creating and ensuring a non-discriminatory and respectful working environment for our people.

We work closely with our sponsor department, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), to ensure our approach aligns with wider government expectations and standards. This includes compliance with DBT’s procurement frameworks, audit requirements, and ethical assurance processes.

Our supply chain

Although OSBC’s direct procurement activity is limited, we operate entirely on DBT’s IT infrastructure and align to their procurement frameworks. We work closely with DBT and UK Shared Business Services (UKSBS) to ensure that all suppliers meet the ethical and legal standards expected of public sector partners. We expect all suppliers to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and to demonstrate transparency and accountability in their own supply chains.

The UKSBS statement is published on their website: 

UK SBS Modern Slavery Statement 

Employment Practices:

As an equal opportunities employer, OSBC is committed to creating and maintaining a non-discriminatory and respectful working environment. Our recruitment and employment practices are aligned with our sponsor department, DBT and ensure that:

• All employees have the legal right to work in the UK.
• Safeguards are in place to protect staff from exploitation or coercion.
• All individuals are treated with dignity and respect throughout their employment.

Training and Awareness

We continue to raise awareness of modern slavery risks through internal communications and learning platforms. Staff are encouraged to report any concerns through appropriate channels, and we ensure that relevant training is available to support this.