Modern Slavery Statement

Modern Slavery Act 2015: Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Introduction

This statement is made pursuant to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out what steps eStar Truck and Van Limited has taken and continues to take to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking from taking place within our business and our supply chain.

The Company is committed to running its business responsibly, striving to maintain high ethical principles and having respect for human rights. One of our core values is to behave with integrity. We are aware of our legal and moral obligations towards combatting forced, bonded or compulsory labour, human trafficking and other kinds of slavery.

We do not knowingly conduct business with individuals, agencies, or companies that conduct, support, condone or facilitate human trafficking or slavery.

Our business

eStar Truck and Van Limited (“eStar”) is a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer across the North-West and North Wales with dealerships at Knowsley, Deeside, Stoke-on-Trent and Trafford Park, offering the sale of Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Vans, their service, maintenance and supply of Mercedes-Benz parts. We also operate out of two new sites in Uttoxeter and Knowsley.

We employ around 340 staff across our operation, working predominantly in North-West England and North Wales.

Our supply chain

With regards to national or international supply chains, our main points of contact are with Mercedes Benz UK Companies which include Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics UK Ltd and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Ltd.

The Mercedes-Benz UK Companies are proud of the integrity measures they take in this regard.

The Mercedes-Benz UK Companies’ efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking in their supply chains and own businesses include publication of their brochure entitled “Ethical Business – Our Shared Responsibility” in which they communicate their ethical principles and associated expectations to their supply chain. Their supplier code of conduct requires all suppliers to the Mercedes-Benz UK Companies to sign up to a sustainability clause which details all requirements around forced labour, slavery and human trafficking. As part of our initiative to identify and mitigate risk, where possible, we build long standing relationships with local suppliers and customers. We ask all new suppliers to confirm to us that they have a fair worker policy.

In general, eStar considers its exposure to slavery/human trafficking to be relatively limited.

Written policies and procedures

We operate several internal policies to ensure that we are conducting business in an ethical and transparent manner. These include Modern Day Slavery, Recruitment and Selection, Whistle Blowing, Ethics, Dignity at Work, and Criminal Offences Committed by Staff. These were reissued to staff in 2023 and are available on our HR database.

Employees and training

All new employees are subject to pre-employment checks to confirm their identity and eligibility to work in the UK prior to their starting work within the Group. Information is provided to all employees on their statutory rights including sick pay, holiday pay and any other benefits they may be entitled to by virtue of their employment. We pay all directly employed labour at least the living or minimum wage, as relevant. Where recruitment agencies are used, we ensure they comply with all legal requirements. These procedures collectively help to address our on-going commitment to protect our employees’ human rights and the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour.

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business, we have mandatory online training for ALL staff. They are encouraged to identify and report any potential or actual wrongdoing that they consider to be negligent, improper or illegal to a manager, in line with our Whistleblowing procedure.

The Company has not, to its knowledge, conducted any business with another organisation which has been found to have involved itself with modern slavery.

Approval by the Directors

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and was approved by the eStar Board of Directors and signed on its behalf by:

Steve Bridge

Managing Director

eStar Truck and Van Limited

09 February 2024