Modern slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Introduction

Being a great place to work and developing our business ethically are core values captured in the VetPartners Vision. As such, our organisation is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its activities and ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.

We view this as part of our wider responsibility to the Animal Health industry and society as a whole.

Organisational Structure

This statement covers the activities of VetPartners, a United Kingdom provider of veterinary care and allied services, which include diagnostic laboratories, training establishments and online pharmacy businesses.

VetPartners Group Limited is the parent company of the VetPartners group. Our parent company has its head office in York, United Kingdom. In June 2023, the Group had 11,097 employees, of which 8,629 are based in the United Kingdom and the remainder in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland.

Our Policies on Slavery and Human Trafficking

Our policy is to ensure that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains, or in any part of our business. We have published a sustainability strategy for the VetPartners group, which will include actions on ethical procurement, including measures against modern slavery and human trafficking. We are committed to further development of these policies. In 2021, ESG matters (including human rights and anti-slavery policies) were formally added to the job description of a member of the central support team, and we are in the process of developing a group-wide ethics strategy which will include robust actions on preventing slavery and human trafficking.

Due Diligence Process

We have built long-standing relationships with group-level suppliers, and will:

Ensure that organisations with a statutory responsibility to produce a Modern Slavery and Trafficking Statement have been evaluated so as to satisfy us that they have discharged their responsibilities to our satisfaction.

Ensure that where possible we have notified group-level suppliers of our expectations that they mitigate risks of Human Slavery and Trafficking in their supply chains.

Make these suppliers aware that we have an expectation that if they fail to improve their performance against an agreed action plan, or where we feel their performance is too far removed from our values, the ultimate sanction will be termination of a business relationship.

Assessment of Modern Slavery and Trafficking Risks

We will develop processes to evaluate the risks of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking in relation to specific regions, countries and supply chains.

We have internal processes for encouraging all types of feedback, including a Speak Up policy which encourages the reporting of ethical breaches including Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.

Adherence to Our Values

We have zero tolerance of Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking and will continue to build systems and processes to demonstrate compliance.

Training

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks around Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, the organisation will incorporate awareness training into training for colleagues in procurement and management, and colleagues who visit clients’ homes and other business premises, across the VetPartners Group.

Signed

Jo Malone

Chief Executive

20^th July 2023