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Modern Slavery Statement

Checkatrade Modern Slavery Statement 2026

Zero Tolerance

Checkatrade operates a zero-tolerance policy towards Modern Slavery and proudly supports the intentions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015  (“Act”).

Modern Slavery is an abuse of fundamental human rights and can take many forms, including Human Trafficking, Forced Labour, Debt Bondage, Child Labour, Domestic Servitude, Child and Forced Marriage, and Slavery.

Our value of being Customer Obsessed underpins our approach, ensuring that we always act with integrity and place people at the heart of our decisions. Protecting individuals from exploitation is essential to building trust and maintaining ethical operations across our platform.

This statement has been developed through collaboration between key stakeholders across Checkatrade, including representatives from Legal, Procurement, Operations, People Team, and Corporate Finance. This cross-functional approach ensures our commitments and actions reflect the collective responsibility of the business in preventing Modern Slavery and promoting ethical practices.

Checkatrade Structure

Checkatrade (the trading name of Vetted Limited) is a digital platform and print directory that connects consumers with vetted tradespeople. As Checkatrade continues its evolution towards a marketplace model, our platform brings together three core groups that make up our community:

  • Employees - who design, support, and grow our services responsibly;

  • Consumers - who use our platform to discover and engage vetted trades; and

  • Tradespeople - independent businesses offering skilled trade services to consumers and upholding the Checkatrade Standard.

As Checkatrade continues to evolve and grow, we recognise that change brings new opportunities as well as new responsibilities. We are committed to continually assessing and managing the risks associated with our evolving model.

Supply Chain and Partnership Governance

Supply Chain and Due Diligence

Our supply chain is primarily made up of suppliers providing professional and skilled services to support our business operations. While we therefore consider our supply chain to carry a low risk in relation to Modern Slavery and/or Human Trafficking, we remain vigilant and proactive in identifying and managing changes in the supply chain and to our supplier base which may alter this assessment. 

We have implemented a refreshed range of supplier due diligence processes in 2025 to ensure our suppliers understand their responsibilities under the Act and other relevant compliance frameworks. This includes supplier due diligence processes which include modern slavery alerts, ongoing monitoring, and the integration of Modern Slavery obligations into our standard supplier contracts.

Suppliers are contractually required to comply with these obligations. Where applicable, failure to do so constitutes a material breach of the agreement, giving Checkatrade the right to take appropriate action, including termination where necessary.

In 2025, we also launched our enhanced Supplier Code of Conduct, which complements these contractual and due diligence measures. The Code sets out our expectations for ethical behaviour and requires suppliers to:

  • prevent forced labour, child labour, and human trafficking within their operations and supply chains;

  • adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights;

  • provide relevant training to employees and contractors on these issues; and

  • establish clear expectations for their own suppliers and subcontractors.

We believe that by maintaining a comprehensive understanding of our suppliers and their supply chains, we are better placed to identify early indicators of potential Modern Slavery risks and, where appropriate, raise concerns with the relevant authorities or take corrective action directly.

Partnerships

As part of our growth and evolution, Checkatrade has developed a range of strategic partnerships across our platform and product ecosystem.

We recognise that our partnerships form an extension of our business, and as such, we hold them to the same high ethical and compliance standards expected of our employees and suppliers. To support this, Checkatrade has introduced automated onboarding due diligence and risk assessments for all partners.

These assessments are also conducted periodically throughout the life of our engagement, ensuring that our partners continue to meet our standards and expectations.

Tradespeople

Tradespeople are at the heart of the Checkatrade platform. We recognise that the trade and construction industries can be at increased risk of labour exploitation. Checkatrade takes proactive steps to identify, assess, and mitigate these risks across our platform, continually strengthening our controls to uphold responsible and ethical business practices.

Every Tradesperson who joins agrees to uphold our values, legal obligations, and the commitments set out within our Master Service Terms and the Checkatrade Standard, which together outline the behaviours and business practices expected of Tradespeople..

These documents make clear reference to the prevention of Modern Slavery and set out the expectations for Tradespeople to:

  • treat and pay employees, contractors, and apprentices fairly, in accordance with UK laws;

  • provide safe working conditions, maintain high standards of personal conduct, and work safely and ethically within their skill set; and

  • comply with all applicable legislation, including the Act and related standards.

All Tradespeople must pass our checks and verification process, which includes identity, qualification, and certification verification. This scrutiny, combined with the skills and certifications required, provides us with high levels of assurance that Tradespeople on our platform meet our professional and ethical standards.

Employee Policies and Training

Modern Slavery is closely linked to other areas of ethical and legal compliance. At Checkatrade, we recognise that these issues are interconnected and therefore our employee policies and training take a holistic approach, ensuring a comprehensive framework that promotes ethical business conduct and accountability.

Checkatrade maintains a suite of policies that apply to all employees, including our Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy, Whistleblowing Policy, Anti-Money Laundering Policy, and Financial Crime Policy. These demonstrate our commitment to conducting business with the highest standards of honesty and integrity and align with the principles of preventing Modern Slavery.

All employees attest annually to completing our compliance training, which will be further refreshed in 2026 to enhance engagement and ensure continued relevance to our business and risk environment. This includes specific and advanced training for employees in specialist roles who are more likely to encounter compliance-related risks.

Reporting

We are committed to ensuring that reporting routes for Modern Slavery and related ethical concerns are clear, accessible, and effective for both employees and users of our platform. Employees are reminded annually of the confidential Whistleblowing channels available, and all reports are treated seriously and investigated promptly.

For consumers and Tradespeople, we provide reporting routes through our platform and complaints processes to raise any concerns, including those relating to Modern Slavery. These channels are designed to ensure that anyone engaging with Checkatrade can report potential issues safely and with confidence.

As part of our 2026 actions, these reporting mechanisms will be reviewed to ensure ease of use, clear escalation procedures, and strong alignment to our compliance framework.

Completed Actions for 2025

During 2025, Checkatrade continued to strengthen its approach to Modern Slavery and ethical compliance through a range of targeted actions. These initiatives supported the maturity of our supply chain governance and employee training framework.

Key actions completed in 2025 included:

  • Supplier Site Visits: Conducted visits for a selected number of suppliers in 2025, enabling us to engage directly and observe their working practices first-hand.

  • Enhanced Supplier Code of Conduct: Published an updated and enhanced Supplier Code of Conduct, setting clearer expectations on ethical standards and supplier responsibilities.

  • Supplier Questionnaire: Issued a renewed supplier questionnaire covering Modern Slavery and other key areas of compliance, to ensure consistent oversight of our supply base.

  • Specialist Training: Delivered advanced ABC training to employees in specialist roles, enhancing capability and awareness across high-risk areas.

These actions reflect Checkatrade’s continued commitment to maintaining transparency, accountability, and ethical business practices across our operations and supply chain.

Goals and Actions for 2026

For 2026, Checkatrade will continue to advance its approach to Modern Slavery prevention and compliance through the following key actions and focus areas:

Suppliers

  • Risk Assessments: Further develop and refresh our Supplier Risk Matrix to deepen and strengthen risk categorisation and prioritisation for all Tier 1 suppliers whilst maintaining coverage across the full supplier base.

Reporting

  • Customer and Tradespeople Reporting: Review our reporting processes for customers and Tradespeople to ensure they remain clear, accessible, and effective in raising Modern Slavery concerns.

  • Escalation Procedures: Further strengthen internal escalation and response processes to ensure concerns are addressed promptly and constructively.

Employees

  • Specialist Role Development: Continue targeted training for employees in higher-risk or compliance-related roles to strengthen awareness and decision-making in line with regulatory and ethical expectations in relation to matters of Modern Slavery and other ethical concerns.

Future Considerations

As a business, our commitment to eradicating Modern Slavery in all its forms remains steadfast. We recognise that the external landscape continues to evolve, with increased focus on corporate transparency, supply chain accountability, and collaboration across industries.

We closely monitor legislative and regulatory developments, including any updates to the Act and other emerging compliance frameworks. These changes help shape our approach and ensure our policies, processes, and training remain effective and relevant.

The Act

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes Vetted Limited’s (t/a Checkatrade) Modern Slavery Statement for the financial year ending 31 December 2025 and was approved by the Vetted Limited Board of Directors on 20 January 2026.

Signed: Jambu Palaniappan – CEO and Director

Date: 20 January 2026