Introduction

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes Blue Lozenge’s modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 28 February 2026.

Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour, and human trafficking, all of which involve the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.

At Blue Lozenge, our mission is to transform healthcare through strategic communication and engagement that gives professionals more time to care and patients better experiences. As a people-first organisation that values compassion and improving lives, we are committed to preventing modern slavery in our operations and supply chain. We recognise our responsibility to uphold human rights and take a zero-tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking in all its forms.

Our business

Blue Lozenge provides professional communication and engagement expertise to healthcare organisations. Our six core services include:

• Resourcing – providing communication expertise when needed

• Campaigns – designing and delivering impactful health campaigns

• Strategy – developing communication strategies aligned with organisational objectives

• Pathway communication – reviewing and auditing patient pathways

• PR and media relations – building and protecting organisational reputation

• Capability – building internal communication capabilities

As a digital-first business operating primarily in the UK healthcare sector, we maintain a relatively simple supply chain focused on professional services.

Our policies and procedures

We have implemented several policies and procedures that help us identify and prevent modern slavery:

• Dignity at work policy – Our dignity at work policy ensures all employees are treated with respect and dignity, creating a workplace free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination.

• Equal opportunities policy – We are committed to equal opportunities and apply objective criteria to assess merit, ensuring no discrimination on any grounds including race, colour, national origins, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or age.

Recruitment and employment practices

Our recruitment processes include thorough verification of identity, right to work, references, and qualifications. We ensure all staff are paid at or above the National Living Wage and have proper employment contracts.

Whistleblowing policy 

We encourage employees to report any concerns regarding unethical behaviour or suspected modern slavery without fear of retaliation.

Supplier code of conduct 

We expect our suppliers to uphold the same ethical standards we maintain. Our procurement processes include due diligence on new suppliers and ongoing assessment of existing relationships.

Risk assessment and due diligence 

We assess our business operations and supply chains periodically to identify potential risks of modern slavery. Due to the nature of our work in professional services and healthcare communications, we consider our direct risk to be low. However, we recognise that risks may exist in our extended supply chain.

Our due diligence processes include: 

• Supplier pre-qualification questionnaires that include questions about their modern slavery policies

• Contractual provisions requiring compliance with modern slavery legislation

• Regular review of high-risk suppliers and sectors

• Client and partnership evaluation to ensure alignment with our ethical standards

Annual risk assessments of our supply chain with particular focus on:

• Geographical risk factors

• Sector and industry risks

• Product or service risks

• Business partnership risks

• Documented escalation process for any identified concerns

Training and awareness

We are committed to ensuring our staff understand the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking:

• All employees receive information on modern slavery as part of their induction

• Employees involved in procurement and HR receive enhanced training

• Regular updates and refresher training are provided to maintain awareness

• Our values guide training emphasises treating people with dignity and respect

Effectiveness and performance indicators

To measure our effectiveness in preventing modern slavery, we monitor:

• Staff completion rates for modern slavery awareness training

• Number of suppliers who have provided confirmation of compliance

• Risk assessments completed

• Any reported concerns or incidents and how they were addressed

• Supplier audit results and corrective actions taken

• Response times to any identified risks or concerns

We review these metrics annually and set improvement targets where applicable, reflecting our data-driven approach to all aspects of our business.

Collaborative approach and remediation

If we identify any instances of modern slavery within our supply chain, we will:

• Work collaboratively with the supplier to address the issue and develop an action plan

• Provide support and guidance to help the supplier meet appropriate standards

• Terminate the relationship if necessary improvements are not made

• Report criminal activity to relevant authorities

• Review our due diligence processes to identify any improvements

Continuous improvement

We recognise that addressing modern slavery requires ongoing vigilance. We commit to:

• Regularly reviewing and updating our policies and procedures

• Strengthening our supplier due diligence processes

• Expanding training and awareness programmes

• Collaborating with clients, partners, and industry bodies to share best practices

• Using data and evidence to improve our approach, reflecting our value of being data-driven

• Staying informed about emerging risks, best practices and legislative developments

• Conducting periodic independent reviews of our modern slavery prevention measures

Board approval

This statement has been approved by the Board of Directors of Blue Lozenge, who will review and update it annually.

Rachel Royall, Chief Executive Officer

Blue Lozenge

Date: 08 May 2025