A charter to rally against modern slavery has been signed.

The charter, drawn up by the Co-Operative Party, was unveiled by Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, Cllr Mary Maguire, along with Council Leader, Cllr Nesil Caliskan, at a ceremony at the Civic Centre.

The charter aims to establish ethical labour sourcing practises that go beyond existing law and guidance.

The council will be training officers to recognise, prevent and report forced labour, people trafficking and exploitation.

Cllr Maguire said: "It’s right that Enfield Council has zero tolerance to modern slavery.

“By signing up to this charter, we are sending a powerful message to our communities, our suppliers and our contractors that we expect them to behave ethically and to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

“Supply chains can be complex and Enfield Council already does its utmost to seek well-sourced provisions through our partner agencies.

“But, we can always do better.

“By signing this charter, we adopt a clear strategy to tackle effectively the scourge of modern day slavery that gives staff the means to proactively check and vet suppliers – big and small.”

To read more on the charter visit https://party.coop/local/councillors/modern-slavery-charter/