Supporting colleagues and keeping records

Responding well is not only about the moment of reporting. It is also about how you treat people afterwards, and how you preserve the information that investigators may one day need.

Supporting a colleague who may be a victim

If the person at the centre of your concern is a colleague, continue to treat them normally and with respect. Do not interrogate them, discuss your suspicions with other colleagues, or change your behaviour in ways their controller might notice. If they disclose something to you, listen without judgement, reassure them that they have done nothing wrong by telling you, and explain that you will need to pass the concern to people who can help. Small things matter: victims consistently report that being treated with ordinary human dignity was significant to them.

Supporting a colleague who reported

Raising a modern slavery concern takes courage, and people who report often worry they have overreacted or caused trouble. If a colleague confides that they have reported something, support them. No one should suffer any detriment for raising a genuine concern in good faith, even one that turns out to be unfounded. A culture where people are thanked for speaking up is itself a safeguard.

Keeping records of concerns

Write down what you observed as soon as possible, while details are fresh:

• Date, time, and place of what you saw.
• Who was involved, with descriptions, and vehicle details if relevant.
• Exactly what you observed or heard, in factual terms, keeping opinion separate.
• Anything a person said to you, in their words as closely as you can recall.

Keep the record factual and secure, share it only with those who need it, and remember it may contain personal data that must be handled properly. Do not keep evidence to yourself while you wait to be certain. Certainty is not your job. A dated, factual note passed promptly through the right channel may be the piece that completes a picture the authorities are already building.