Peel Ports Group

Case Study Details

Client : Peel Ports Group

Sector: Construction, Maritime, Freight

Services: Policy development, Supply chain risk assessment, Lived experience engagement, Training and awareness

Functions: Legal, Compliance, Procurement, Learning and Development, Subsidiaries

Duration: Ongoing

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

James Riddick - Group Head of Supply Chain - Peel Ports Group

The Align workshops are insightful and essential for those wishing to understand better the
risks and issues caused by modern slavery.

The most impactful and valuable aspect was hearing from a survivor, as lived experience
and the perspective this brings enforces the messages Phill and his team give and
demonstrates the true damage modern slavery can cause.
It’s not until you hear a first-hand account do you fully appreciate the importance of action
and going beyond auditing in tackling this issue.

Challenge

Strengthening prevention across high-risk operations

Peel Ports Group, one of the UK’s largest port operators, recognised the increasing importance of robust modern slavery due diligence within its complex supply chains. The company sought to strengthen its approach amid rising investor expectations, heightened regulatory scrutiny, and known risks across high-impact sectors such as construction and logistics.

Peel aimed to gain a clearer understanding of its risk exposure, identify practical actions for prevention, and ensure its policies and public statements reflected genuine leadership and best practice in tackling modern slavery.

Our Approach

Bringing survivor insight and data-driven analysis together

Following a collaborative masterclass hosted by Peel Ports that brought together internal teams, external partners, NGOs, and a survivor of modern slavery, Align was engaged to support enhanced understanding of risk and improved modern slavery processes.

Working alongside Peel’s legal team, Align conducted high-level risk reviews across key suppliers and higher-risk business areas. The work combined document reviews, desktop research, benchmarking, and lived experience engagement through site visits and direct
worker conversations.

Interviews with senior leaders and operational staff provided a practical understanding of how risks manifest and where procedures could be strengthened. The resulting insights and recommendations were presented to the Board, forming the basis for measurable
organisational changes.

The Outcome

Creating accountable systems and culturally relevant awareness

Peel Ports has introduced a range of targeted actions to embed stronger prevention and response practices, including:

Enhanced supplier engagement processes and updated contract clauses, integrating modern slavery due diligence

Survivor-informed, culturally relevant awareness materials redesigned for use across the business

Lived experience-led training for senior leaders and managers
Development of future actions and enhanced audits to assess risk and track performance

With continued support from Align, Peel Ports is now aligning operations with the UK Home Office’s 2025 Transparency in Supply Chains guidance. The partnership remains active, with Align supporting annual reviews, policy updates, and the development of the modern slavery statement to ensure progress and accountability.