Modern slavery statement
Financial year covered: This statement relates to the financial year ending 25/26.
Digby Brown is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and transparency in all our operations. We recognise that modern slavery, including human trafficking, forced labour, and exploitation, is a grave and persistent violation of human rights.
For the purposes of this statement, modern slavery encompasses human trafficking, forced or compulsory labour, servitude, slavery, and any practice that deprives a person of their liberty for personal or commercial gain.
As part of our ongoing responsibility to respect human rights, we are committed to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in our operations and supply chains. As a responsible law firm, we are committed to acting ethically, transparently, and with integrity in all our business dealings.
We acknowledge our responsibilities under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and are committed to continually reviewing our practices and procedures to identify, prevent and mitigate the risk of modern slavery within our business and supply chains.
Our business
Digby Brown is Scotland’s leading personal injury law firm providing legal services to individuals who have been injured through no fault of their own. We are dedicated to delivering expert legal services and our practice areas span general personal injury, medical negligence, international and offshore injury, catastrophic injury, non-accidental injury and industrial disease.
We operate across seven offices in Scotland; Inverness, Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy, Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayr, with a team of legal professionals, business professionals, and suppliers who support our client-focused service.
Our operations are carried out exclusively within Scotland. The firm is governed by its senior leadership team and Partners, who are responsible for ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory and ethical obligations, including those relating to modern slavery.
Our commitment
We uphold and promote the highest standards of human rights, reflecting our values:
• It Matters What We Do
• We Care for Today and the Future
• We are Fair
• One Team
It Matters What We Do means we hold ourselves accountable for ensuring our operations and supply chains are free from modern slavery. We take this responsibility seriously and understand the potential risks associated with indirect relationships through our suppliers. We understand the impact of our work on the lives of our clients, employees and communities. We are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards to ensure that no part of our operations contribute to modern slavery of exploitation.
We Care for Today and the Future by embedding ethical considerations into our decision-making processes and maintaining vigilance through regular review and improvement of our practices. We care about the well-being of our people and the impact we have on society, both now and in the future. We are committed to creating a culture of care, ensuring that modern slavery does not take place within our firm.
We are Fair in our treatment of all employees and clients ensuring equal opportunities, fair pay, and safe working conditions throughout our business and operations. Fairness is at the heart of everything we do and believe in treating everyone with respect and dignity.
One Team ensures that our people are trained and empowered to identify risks, speak up, and support efforts to eliminate exploitation in any form. As One Team, we work collaboratively together to uphold the Values and share responsibility for preventing modern slavery. We strive to foster a work environment where our people feel safe, valued and empowered to voice any concerns related to modern slavery or other forms of exploitation.
These values guide our actions and shape the culture of our firm, ensuring we play our part in addressing this global issue. This statement outlines the steps we are taking to understand and address the risk of modern slavery within our firm and supply chain.
Our policies
The following policies are available to all staff and contained within our company intranet:
- Grievance policy
- Disciplinary procedure
- Equal Opportunities
Our recruitment, employment and whistleblowing arrangements support our commitment to preventing modern slavery by providing mechanisms for raising concerns, ensuring fair treatment and protecting employees from unlawful or unethical practices.
Our recruitment and hiring process ensures that everyone we consider for employment can legally work in the UK and all our people are protected from any form of abuse or coercion. We refuse to engage in business with any company that knowingly supports slavery, forced labour, or similar practices.
Our supply chain
Our supply chain primarily consists of providers of professional services, facilities management services, office equipment and supplies, information technology services, telecommunications, recruitment services, training providers and other business support services.
Our risk assessment and management
We assess the risk of modern slavery within our business and supply chains by considering the nature of the services provided, the location of suppliers, the extent of labour used by suppliers and any known sector-specific risk factors. We consider the risk within our direct operations to be low because our workforce is UK-based, professionally managed and subject to established recruitment, employment and safeguarding procedures. We recognise that relatively higher risks may arise in indirect supply chain areas such as facilities management, cleaning, maintenance, office supplies, recruitment, technology hardware and other outsourced support services.
Our due diligence
When engaging suppliers, we expect them to operate lawfully, ethically and responsibly. Our due diligence may include considering the supplier’s reputation, location, nature of services, employment practices and any available policies or assurances relating to labour standards and ethical conduct. Where appropriate, we may ask suppliers to confirm that they comply with applicable laws, including those relating to modern slavery, human trafficking, employment rights, health and safety and the right to work. We reserve the right to review supplier relationships where concerns are identified and to take appropriate action, which may include seeking further assurances, requiring remedial steps or ending the relationship.
Our training and awareness
We seek to ensure that relevant members of our team understand the risks of modern slavery and know how to raise concerns. Awareness is supported through our policies, management oversight and internal reporting arrangements. Staff involved in recruitment, procurement, supplier management, facilities and other relevant operational areas are expected to act with vigilance and escalate any concerns promptly through the firm’s established procedures.
Our effectiveness
We monitor the effectiveness of our approach by reviewing any concerns raised, considering supplier-related issues, checking whether relevant policies remain appropriate and reviewing this statement annually. We will continue to develop our approach where opportunities for improvement are identified, including by strengthening supplier assurance processes and staff awareness where appropriate.
Whilst we consider the risk of modern slavery within our direct operations to be low, we recognise that risks may arise within wider supply chains and therefore seek to work only with reputable suppliers that share our commitment to ethical business practices and respect for human rights.
We believe creating a fair and ethical society is vital to both our present and future success. We are committed to eliminating modern slavery from every aspect of our business operations and supply chain, in alignment with our core values.
Responsibility for overseeing compliance with this statement rests with the firm’s senior management team and Partners. Any concerns regarding modern slavery or human trafficking may be raised through the firm’s established reporting procedures. This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes Digby Brown’s modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the relevant financial year.
This statement will be reviewed annually and updated where necessary to ensure that we remain vigilant in the fight against modern slavery.
This statement has been approved by the firm’s Chief Executive, Fraser Oliver.