Biffa is continuing to fight modern-day slavery by highlighting a known human trafficking route from Africa to the UK. In the latest, and final cycle ride in a series of challenges by Ride For Freedom, it hopes to highlight how widespread modern-day slavery is and stamp out the crime. Currently worldwide, it is estimated there are more than 40 million modern slaves.
Biffa is supporting Guinness World Record Holder Gordon Miller, who is leading the event for Ride for Freedom, as he tackles the 1,068-mile route. It starts in Cadiz, Spain, and finishes today in London on Anti-Slavery Day. A group of seven Biffa employees will be joining the anti-slavery campaigner for the last leg of his ‘El Gordo’ ride.
Ride for Freedom’s work empowers survivors of modern slavery to cycle to support their independence, mobility, mental and physical health and wellbeing through its Freewheel programme. The programme is run by fundraising and sponsorship from partners such as Biffa and focuses on support for victims. Biffa is fully committed to stamping out modern slavery and has set itself the target to become an industry leader in anti-slavery practices with a zero-tolerance policy.
Biffa is working hard to combat modern day slavery in the industry with extensive guidelines, procedures and training to prevent the issue. As well as regular external campaigning on slavery, this also includes specific training for all new employees to help spot any issues, and assessing all new suppliers for the risk of modern slavery.
Biffa is heavily involved in bringing businesses together to tackle exploitation in supply chains and slavery in the waste industry, being a founding member of Hope for Justice’s Slave Free Alliance. As one of the largest businesses in the waste management sector, Biffa is also a founding member of the Waste and Recycling MS Working Group. This is jointly led by the Environmental Services Association and the Slave-Free Alliance.
At Biffa we’re committed to stamping out this appalling crime and one of the ways to achieve this is through raising awareness of the issue.
Michael Topham, CEO of Biffa, said, “Our work against slavery is of the utmost importance. At Biffa we’re committed to stamping out this appalling crime and one of the ways to achieve this is through raising awareness of the issue. The Ride for Freedom event highlights a known route slaves have travelled along to reach the UK and we hope awareness of this will help us in our fight against the crime.”
He added, “We constantly review our anti-slavery practises to challenge ourselves on what we can do and how we can strengthen our response to the issue.”
“I’m delighted to be associated with these purpose-driven companies,” said Anti-slavery campaigner Miller. “Their support has enabled the ride to go ahead by underwriting the administrative, logistical and marketing costs to raise awareness to end modern slavery, and contributes to the development of the Freewheel by Ride For Freedom programme.”
As well as supporting good causes Biffa’s strategy also focuses on building a circular economy. The cycling teams will wear jerseys created from recycled PET plastic made by Presca Sportswear. Collectively the production of these jerseys made from recycled plastic saved 178.4 litres of water and diverted 3.9kg of waste compared to virgin materials.
For more details on the ride and to support the cause please visit: https://rideforfreedom.org.uk/2021-guinness-world-record-cycling-challenge/
