Greenvale AP, the UK’s largest supplier of fresh potatoes, has joined the Association of Labour Providers (ALP), the trade association for organisations that provide and use temporary, contract and seasonal workers.
The move comes at a time when the ALP has launched its Gangmaster Audit Tool software program, which mirrors the standards of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and provides guidance on their legal requirements, as well as enabling users and providers of labour to work together effectively.
Greenvale’s group human resources and safety manager Andy Ferguson said: “We rely on temporary labour and have been considering joining the ALP for some time.
“The relationship will help us follow best practice in an area that is full of conflicting advice and regulations, not to mention highly complex legislation.
“Not only can the ALP provide us with expert assistance, it can also speak on our behalf directly to government and the regulators.”
Gangmasters and temporary labour are also highly sensitive areas for Greenvale’s larger customers.
Ferguson said: “The Gangmaster Audit Tool is a major benefit. It allows us to audit the supplier accurately and show our customers that our worker policies follow best practice.
“We wanted to find a cost-effective and transparent system that would give labour users, labour providers and workers the protection they need. We are happy that the ALP’s Gangmaster Audit Tool sets the standard. It is absolutely the right way for the industry to go.”