At Puma Investments, we are committed to running our business responsibly. We endeavour to uphold the highest ethical principles and to respect human rights. It also means doing our best to encourage high standards in our supply chain and business.
In this context, whilst we are not subject to the requirement to publish an annual statement under the transparency provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, we have used the requirements introduced by the Act as an opportunity to review the way in which we operate our own business.
Below, we set out the arrangements employed by Puma Capital Group to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in its business activities and supply chains.
Services and supply
The Puma Capital Group provides a range of services within the structure of investment and fund management. Specifically, Puma Capital Group is an investment manager, and a leading provider of growth capital to UK SMEs and property finance to developers and real estate investors.
The services the Puma Capital Group itself receives, in relation to the services it provides, are office based where its supply chain consists largely of other regulated professional services (Chartered Surveyors, Law Firms, Accountancy Firms and Banks). Puma Capital Group considers these to be very low risk in relation to slavery and human trafficking so takes no specific action in respect to these relationships.
Puma Investments, on behalf of its clients, invests in and provides capital to small and medium-sized companies operating in a range of sectors across the UK, and takes care through its due diligence to seek to invest in companies with reputable supply chains. Puma Property Finance, who also acts as an adviser to private trading companies in relation to the provision of property finance, similarly completes appropriate due diligence on companies it advises.
Given what Puma Capital Group understands to be a low risk profile of anyone supplying us with services, or anyone we supply services to, being involved in slavery and/or human trafficking, we believe our current procedures and ability to rely on regulatory oversight in relation to professional services are sufficient in this regard.
Goods
As an investment firm, most goods supplied to Puma Capital Group will be goods for use in an office environment. Puma Capital Group considers the supply of such goods to have a low risk profile relating to slavery and/or human trafficking therefore no specific training is provided or undertaken by Puma Capital Group staff in relation to these matters.
Employee training, recruitment and welfare
Puma Capital Group provides employees and management with training on a range of compliance matters including Modern Slavery, particularly in relation to mitigating risks within supply chains.
As part of its HR policies and procedures, Puma Capital Group only uses reputable recruitment firms and complies with all relevant local laws and regulations.
David Kaye
Group Chief Executive Officer
Puma Capital Group
September 2022