Human Rights Statement

1. Purpose

AIC Professional Services UK Ltd is committed to respecting human rights, promoting fair and ethical working practices, and conducting business in a way that protects the dignity, safety and rights of all people affected by our operations, services and supply chain.

This Human Rights Statement explains our commitment to responsible business conduct and sets out the principles we apply across our organisation, our suppliers, our partners, our customers and our project delivery activities.

AIC is a UK-based secure software, cyber, artificial intelligence and digital engineering SME supporting defence, aerospace, public sector, legal and high-assurance environments. While our work is primarily digital, office-based and professional-services led, we recognise that human rights responsibilities apply to all organisations, regardless of size or sector.

This statement supports supplier due diligence, procurement assessments and responsible business questionnaires, including human rights assessments that ask for evidence of a public human rights policy statement, stakeholder communication, preventive measures, grievance mechanisms and reporting arrangements.

2. Our Commitment

AIC is committed to respecting internationally recognised human rights and expects the same standard from our suppliers, contractors, associates and delivery partners.

We are committed to:

• Treating people with dignity, fairness and respect.

• Preventing discrimination, harassment, victimisation and bullying.

• Supporting equal opportunity and inclusive working practices.

• Prohibiting forced labour, bonded labour, modern slavery and human trafficking.

• Prohibiting child labour.

• Supporting safe and healthy working conditions.

• Respecting lawful working hours, rest periods and fair remuneration.

• Respecting freedom of association and lawful collective representation.

• Protecting personal data and respecting privacy.

• Preventing bribery, corruption, exploitation and unethical conduct.

• Acting responsibly when delivering technology that could affect individuals, communities or public trust.

3. Scope

This statement applies to:

• AIC employees.

• Directors and officers.

• Contractors and consultants.

• Associates and subcontractors.

• Suppliers and delivery partners.

• Relevant customer-facing activities.

• Business relationships where AIC has influence or control.

AIC expects all parties working with or on behalf of the company to act consistently with this statement.

4. International Standards and Guidance

AIC supports the principles contained in recognised international human rights and labour standards, including:

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

• The International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

• The European Convention on Human Rights, where applicable.

• The UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.

• UK equality, employment, health and safety, data protection and anti-bribery legislation.

AIC does not claim formal certification against a social accountability management system standard unless separately stated.

5. Governance and Responsibility

Responsibility for human rights sits with the leadership of AIC Professional Services UK Ltd.

Senior leadership is responsible for:

• Maintaining this statement.

• Promoting ethical business conduct.

• Reviewing human rights, labour and supplier risks.

• Ensuring relevant policies are available and maintained.

• Responding to concerns or complaints.

• Taking corrective action where required.

As an SME, AIC operates with a proportionate governance model. Human rights matters are overseen directly by company leadership rather than through a large committee structure.

6. Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination

AIC is committed to equal opportunity and fair treatment.

We do not tolerate discrimination on the grounds of:

• Age.

• Disability.

• Gender reassignment.

• Marriage or civil partnership.

• Pregnancy or maternity.

• Race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.

• Religion or belief.

• Sex.

• Sexual orientation.

• Caring responsibilities.

• Socio-economic background.

• Veteran or reservist status.

• Any other protected or irrelevant personal characteristic.

AIC expects recruitment, engagement, promotion, allocation of work, pay decisions and supplier relationships to be based on merit, capability, conduct, fairness and business need.

7. Modern Slavery, Forced Labour and Human Trafficking

AIC prohibits all forms of modern slavery, forced labour, bonded labour, servitude and human trafficking.

We expect our suppliers and partners to ensure that:

• Work is freely chosen.

• Workers are not subject to coercion, intimidation or exploitation.

• Identity documents are not withheld unlawfully.

• Recruitment fees are not used to create debt bondage.

• Workers are free to leave employment in accordance with lawful notice requirements.

• Labour providers and subcontractors are used responsibly.

Where AIC identifies a credible concern relating to modern slavery or forced labour, we will investigate and take appropriate action, which may include supplier engagement, corrective action, suspension or termination of the relationship.

8. Child Labour

AIC does not use child labour and expects suppliers and partners to comply with all applicable minimum age laws.

Suppliers must not employ children in a way that deprives them of education, development, dignity, health, safety or wellbeing.

9. Health, Safety and Wellbeing

AIC is committed to providing safe and healthy working conditions appropriate to our business activities.

As a digital and professional-services organisation, our principal risks relate to office work, remote work, travel, wellbeing, information security and safe use of technology.

We aim to:

• Maintain safe working arrangements.

• Support reasonable remote and hybrid working practices.

• Promote wellbeing and professional conduct.

• Avoid excessive or unreasonable working expectations.

• Encourage clear communication and escalation of concerns.

• Comply with applicable health and safety law.

10. Working Hours, Rest and Fair Treatment

AIC expects working arrangements to be lawful, reasonable and respectful of personal wellbeing.

We do not support exploitative working practices and expect suppliers to comply with applicable laws relating to:

• Working hours.

• Rest breaks.

• Annual leave.

• Pay.

• Employment status.

• Safe working conditions.

• Fair treatment.

11. Privacy and Data Protection

AIC recognises privacy as an important human rights issue.

We are committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, transparently and securely. We expect personal data to be collected, processed, stored, shared and deleted in accordance with applicable data protection law, including UK GDPR where relevant.

AIC also applies secure-by-design principles to software, cloud, data and artificial intelligence systems where privacy, confidentiality, access control and auditability are important.

12. Responsible Technology and Artificial Intelligence

AIC recognises that technology can affect human rights, privacy, equality, safety, access to services and public trust.

Where AIC designs or supports digital, data or artificial intelligence-enabled systems, we aim to consider:

• Security.

• Privacy.

• Fairness.

• Transparency.

• Proportionality.

• Human oversight.

• Risk of misuse.

• Bias and discrimination.

• Lawful and ethical use.

• Appropriate access controls.

• Auditability and accountability.

AIC does not support the development or deployment of technology intended to unlawfully discriminate, exploit, target, intimidate or harm individuals or communities.

13. Suppliers and Business Partners

AIC expects suppliers, subcontractors, associates and partners to operate ethically and lawfully.

Suppliers and partners are expected to:

• Respect human rights.

• Avoid forced labour and child labour.

• Maintain safe working conditions.

• Treat workers fairly.

• Prevent discrimination and harassment.

• Protect personal data and confidential information.

• Avoid bribery and corruption.

• Comply with applicable law.

• Raise concerns where risks are identified.

AIC may consider human rights, labour, cyber, data protection, security, quality, environmental and ethical risks when selecting or continuing supplier relationships.

14. Human Rights Risk Management

AIC’s human rights risk profile is currently considered proportionate to its size and operating model. We are a UK SME delivering digital, software, cyber, artificial intelligence, consultancy and research and development services.

Our highest relevant human rights considerations are:

• Responsible use of technology.

• Data protection and privacy.

• Fair treatment of workers and associates.

• Equality, diversity and inclusion.

• Ethical supplier engagement.

• Prevention of modern slavery in the supply chain.

• Cyber security and protection of sensitive information.

• Avoidance of harmful or unlawful use of digital systems.

AIC will continue to review human rights risks as the business grows, enters new markets, engages new suppliers or undertakes higher-risk work.

15. Preventive Measures

AIC uses proportionate measures to prevent adverse human rights impacts, including:

• Leadership oversight.

• Supplier due diligence where appropriate.

• Secure delivery governance.

• Clear Statements of Work.

• Contractual controls.

• Information security controls.

• Data protection practices.

• Anti-bribery and modern slavery expectations.

• Equality and non-discrimination principles.

• Secure software development practices.

• Risk review during project initiation.

• Escalation routes for concerns.

SAP-style human rights assessments often ask suppliers to evidence preventive measures, training, grievance mechanisms, environmental risk measures and reporting arrangements. AIC’s approach is proportionate to its SME size and professional-services operating model.

16. Grievance and Reporting Mechanism

AIC encourages employees, contractors, suppliers, customers and other relevant stakeholders to raise concerns about unethical conduct, human rights issues, discrimination, harassment, modern slavery, unsafe working practices, data misuse, corruption or other serious concerns.

Concerns may be raised by contacting:

Email: commercial@aicuk.ltd
Website: https://www.aicuk.ltd

AIC will treat concerns seriously and, where appropriate, confidentially. Retaliation against anyone raising a genuine concern in good faith is not tolerated.

17. Remediation

Where AIC identifies that it has caused or contributed to an adverse human rights impact, we will seek to take appropriate corrective action.

This may include:

• Investigation.

• Engagement with affected parties.

• Supplier corrective action.

• Process improvement.

• Contractual remedy.

• Suspension or termination of supplier relationships.

• Reporting to relevant authorities where legally required.

• Updating policies, training or controls.

18. Communication and Availability

This statement is made publicly available on the AIC website and may be shared with customers, suppliers, procurement teams, assessors and other stakeholders.

AIC may communicate this statement through:

• Supplier onboarding.

• Customer procurement responses.

• Internal governance.

• Contractor engagement.

• Policy packs.

• Due diligence questionnaires.

• Public website publication.

19. Review

This statement will be reviewed periodically and updated where required to reflect changes in AIC’s business, legal obligations, supplier relationships, customer requirements or human rights risk profile.

20. Approval

This Human Rights Statement is approved by AIC Professional Services UK Ltd leadership.

Organisation: AIC Professional Services UK Ltd
Company number: 12252641
Website: https://www.aicuk.ltd
Effective date: 09 October 2019
Review cycle: Annual or sooner where required