Xoserve's Modern Day Slavery Statement 2022/23

Introduction

Xoserve Limited is committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its business and supply chain, in accordance with the UK Modern Slavery Act. This statement highlights the steps that Xoserve has already taken to address any risks, including any planned improvements.

Xoserve’s organisational Structure, Business Model and Supply Chains

Founded on 1st May 2005, Xoserve is central to Britain’s gas distribution market. Operating at the heart of the gas industry, Xoserve is the Central Data Service Provider (CDSP) for the gas industry. We deliver vital services to gas suppliers, shippers and transporters, ensuring that their data is transported securely and that Britain’s wholesale gas market runs as efficiently and reliably as possible.

We are funded, governed and owned by the gas industry, with our board made up of industry-nominated directors and an independent Chair.

Xoserve is based exclusively in Great Britain, however some parties which benefit from our services are based overseas.

Xoserve is a specialised contract management company, outsourcing the delivery of a large proportion of the CDSP-related services. A formal governance framework is in place to ensure the relationship between Xoserve and its service providers is appropriately managed.

Xoserve also continues to procure (and contract for) services on behalf of the gas industry, such as the Performance Assurance Framework Administrator (PAFA) and Allocation of Unidentified Gas Expert (AUGE).

Our Policies to Address the Risks of Slavery and Human Trafficking

At Xoserve, ethical conduct and behaving as a responsible business underpins everything.

Doing the Right Thing and ethical business conduct is embedded in business policies and principles for all staff, service partners and others we work with to follow. In addition, Xoserve provide an external helpline to enable staff to report any concerns or issues in complete confidence.

Xoserve’s Supplier Code of Conduct outlines the standards of ethical business conduct expected from our supply chain. Suppliers must operate ethically within the law providing safe working conditions that prevent harm, intimidation, harassment and fear and where staff are treated with dignity and respect.

An updated version of our Supplier Code of Conduct, with a specific reference to Modern Slavery, was sent to all suppliers in March 2022.

Our recruitment policies and processes recognise an individual’s rights to work in an environment free from discrimination and to realise their full potential by ensuring equal opportunities at work. We ensure that all direct employees are paid above the minimum living wage and have appropriate rights to work.

When onboarding new suppliers, Xoserve operates the following control and assurance framework to identify and reduce the risk of slavery and human trafficking:

• Pre-qualification questionnaires
• Contractual Obligations compliant with all applicable current laws and regulations
• Compliance with Supplier Code of Conduct
• Xoserve’s Modern Slavery Statement or Suppliers own published statement

Our Ongoing Commitment to Eradicating Slavery and Human Trafficking

Xoserve’s approach continues to be to seek to detect any instances of trafficking or slavery being recorded within our supply chain or business.

Xoserve has also committed to look at how we could further improve our effectiveness in managing compliance with the Act and have engaged with a global network of procurement and contracting specialists, allowing us to explore best practice and collaborate on peer reviews to help drive further policy and process improvements and enhance our compliancy.

Xoserve will continue to invest in the business tools our people work with and their training, process optimisation and further develop our working practices with a view to driving change in our supply chain governance, procurement activities and supplier relationship management.

As part of this, Xoserve will continue monitoring Modern Slavery risk through compliance monitoring of our supply chain and proactive use of supplier questionnaires in order to identify emerging risk.

Board Statement

This statement is fully supported and approved by the Xoserve Limited Board of Directors and covers all activities undertaken by the business and their Supply Chain Partners.