Modern slavery statement

Financial year ending April 2026

1. Introduction

This statement is made by Surface Talent Ltd (company number [COMPANY NUMBER]) pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It sets out the steps we take to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chains.

Surface Talent is a specialist recruitment business serving the UK surface engineering and metal finishing sector. We are a sister company of the EMC Surface Technologies group. Our registered office is 67C King Street, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6DX.

2. Our business

We provide permanent, contract and interim recruitment services to employers across the UK surface engineering sector. Our candidates range from production technicians to managing directors. We operate from the UK and place candidates into UK-based roles.

3. Our supply chains

Our supply chains are relatively straightforward. They consist primarily of technology and service providers that support our recruitment operations: applicant tracking software, website hosting, analytics tools and professional advisers. We do not operate complex international supply chains.

4. Our policies

We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity. The following policies and practices are relevant to our approach to modern slavery:

• Recruitment practices: we verify the identity and right to work of all candidates before placing them. We confirm that candidates are entering employment freely and are not subject to coercion or exploitation
• Candidate welfare: we maintain direct contact with placed candidates during and after the onboarding period. If a candidate raised concerns about working conditions, exploitation or coercion, we would act immediately
• Whistleblowing: any employee, candidate or third party can raise concerns about suspected modern slavery or exploitation by contacting us at privacy@surfacetalent.co.uk. All reports are treated confidentially and investigated promptly

5. Due diligence

As a recruitment business, we are in a position to observe working conditions and employment practices at the businesses we place into. Our due diligence includes:

• Verifying candidate identity and right-to-work documentation before any placement
• Confirming terms of employment directly with candidates to ensure they are fair, lawful and freely agreed
• Maintaining ongoing contact with candidates during their first 12 weeks to check for signs of exploitation or poor practice
• Refusing to work with any client where we have reason to believe workers are being exploited

6. Risk assessment

We consider the risk of modern slavery within our direct business operations to be low. We employ a small team, all based in the UK, paid above the National Living Wage and employed on standard contracts.

The higher risk in our sector sits in the supply chains of our clients, particularly where temporary or agency labour is used in manufacturing environments. While we do not control client operations, we are alert to indicators of exploitation and will report concerns to the appropriate authorities.

7. Training and awareness

All staff involved in candidate screening and placement are made aware of modern slavery indicators and know how to escalate concerns. We review this awareness as part of onboarding for new team members.

8. Monitoring and review

This statement is reviewed annually and updated to reflect any changes to our business, supply chains or risk profile. It is approved by the directors of Surface Talent Ltd.

Approved by the Board of Directors, Surface Talent Ltd

April 2026