Modern Slavery Statement for Domestic Cleaners
Our Commitment to Ethical Residential Cleaning
At Domestic Cleaners, we operate with a clear zero-tolerance policy on modern slavery and forced labour across all housekeeping and home cleaning staff engagements. This statement outlines our approach to preventing exploitation within our supply chain and among individual domestic cleaner, house cleaners and residential cleaners. We believe every individual deserves dignity and fair treatment.
We recognise the risks that can occur in domestic cleaning services and domestic cleaning staff supply chains, from coercion to debt bondage and wage theft. Our policies require that all engagements meet legal standards and that recruitment processes are transparent. We will not tolerate: situations where workers are deprived of identity documents, subjected to threats, or required to work under exploitative conditions.
Scope and definitions: This statement covers direct employees, agency placements, subcontracted cleaners and any third-party providers who supply labour to house cleaning roles. It applies to both full-time domestic cleaner employees and casual residential cleaning contractors. We define modern slavery broadly to include forced labour, human trafficking, and other forms of involuntary servitude.
Prevention, Due Diligence and Supplier Audits
To prevent exploitation we implement a programme of due diligence that includes mandatory background checks, verification of identity and right to work documentation, and thorough review of recruitment practices. We use a risk-based approach to assess suppliers and partners. Supplier audits are carried out regularly to check payroll accuracy, working hours, employment contracts and living conditions where applicable.
Our supplier audit process combines remote document review and on-site inspections where practical. Audit criteria include transparent pay practices, no recruitment fees imposed on workers, safe working conditions, and the presence of grievance mechanisms. When non-compliance is identified, we require corrective action plans and monitor improvements; persistent breaches lead to contract termination.
- Verification of employment records and payslips
- Assessment of recruitment fees and debt risks
- Checks on working hours, rest breaks and leave entitlements
We provide training for managers and domestic cleaning supervisors to spot signs of modern slavery among home cleaning staff, including restricted movement, lack of personal documents, or fear of authority figures. Reporting channels are a cornerstone of our approach: workers, clients and suppliers can raise concerns through anonymous channels and through designated internal reporting lines.
Reporting channels and whistleblowing: Multiple safe avenues exist to report suspected exploitation. Reports can be made anonymously and are investigated promptly with confidentiality assured. We treat all reports seriously and protect whistleblowers against retaliation. Investigations involve cross-functional teams and, where necessary, engagement with external authorities and NGOs to ensure victim support.
We commit to transparency and continual improvement. An annual review of our policies, supplier audit outcomes, and incident responses is conducted by senior leadership. This review informs updates to training, procurement standards and monitoring processes to better protect vulnerable workers in domestic cleaning services and among home cleaners.
Remediation and commitment: When exploitation is found we prioritise the well-being and remediation of affected workers, including ensuring safe housing where needed, back pay, and access to legal and medical assistance. We also take corrective contractual actions with suppliers to prevent recurrence.
Governance: This statement is owned by senior management and forms part of our governance framework for ethical employment. We will publish the results of our annual review internally, and ensure continuous stakeholder engagement with domestic cleaners, community organisations and industry partners to uphold our values.
By embedding robust procurement checks, supplier audits, clear reporting channels and an annual review cycle, we reiterate our firm stance: exploitation has no place in domestic cleaning.
