Modern Slavery Statement

Modern Slavery Statement for the Financial Year
ended December 31, 2021

This statement is made pursuant to s.54 of the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that Andela Inc. has taken during the 2021 financial year to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place within our business or supply chain.

Andela has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery in its business and supply chains. Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking, and forced labor. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and reject any form of modern slavery or human trafficking taking place within our business or our supply chain.

This statement covers the following entities within the Andela group (collectively, “Andela”):

  • Andela Inc.
  • Andela Talent Accelerator Limited
  • Andela Kenya Limited
  • Andela Developers Uganda Limited
  • Andela Rwanda Limited
  • Andela Egypt LLC
  • Andela Ghana Limited

Our Business

Andela has evolved to become a global remote talent marketplace that connects tech talent across the world with opportunities globally across various technology verticals, including: Software Development, Design, Cloud, Data, and Product Management. Andela provides clients with vetted software engineers, through a matching and assessment process

that includes client interviews and assessments of the soft and technical skills of talent. Andela supports talent through onboarding and working with clients. Andela offers a wide range of services and products to meet client and talent needs, including job placements, assessments, payroll services, and value-added services for the Andela talent community, such as insurance, education, and financial services offerings. Andela is a fully distributed, remote operation.

Our Supply Chains

Although identifying, recruiting and onboarding engineering talent is our main focus, we also procure goods and services generally required for the smooth operation of any international business – including IT services and software. Our supply chains also include professional services from our lawyers, accountants, consultants and other advisors.

Andela is mindful that, particularly across certain parts of the globe, it operates in locations where the prevalence of modern slavery and human trafficking abuses is statistically higher than average. To date, Andela is pleased to confirm that no such abuses have been identified in its business or supply chains in any Andela location.

Policies to Prevent Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

Given the nature of its business, Andela has comparatively limited procurement activities (talent acquisition aside). Nevertheless, the company takes a robust approach to determine which suppliers it contracts with and is not prepared to maintain business relations with any supplier found to have committed, or been involved with, modern slavery, human trafficking, or forced labor abuses. Our opposition to modern slavery and human trafficking is codified in our Employee Handbook, which also provides for incident reporting, and reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to eliminate, as far as possible, the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking taking place anywhere in our business or supply chains.

By way of example, steps we have taken to help ensure modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in our business or supply chain include:

  1. Global Procurement Policy

    We have a comprehensive procurement policy in place to regulate how we deal with our global suppliers in a well-managed, fair and ethical manner. This incorporates a strict employee code of conduct and whistleblowing procedure so that any malpractice can swiftly be dealt with and resolved. It also provides for an organized tracking system of vendors and periodic audits of vendor and procurement procedures to ensure compliance.
  2. Vendor Code of Conduct

    Our suppliers are contractually obligated to comply with our vendor code of conduct. This code requires compliance with local employment laws and diversity practices and expressly prohibits child labor, discriminatory treatment of workers, and other forms of modern slavery and forced labor or involuntary servitude.
  3. Adult Hiring Policy

    Our adult hiring policy expressly prohibits the use of child labor, forced labor, and the exploitation of children in our global operations. Notwithstanding any local laws permitting employment at a lower age, Andela does not hire employees below the age of 18.

Our compliance, audit, and legal teams are involved in ensuring this process works and will monitor it regularly, adapting as necessary to the changing needs of our business.

Training

To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and in our supply chains, where appropriate, we will be asking our vendors to provide training to their staff and suppliers.

Looking Forward

Given the global shift to remote, distributed work, Andela will prioritize our efforts to ensure that all our suppliers provide safe working conditions for their workers, particularly in labor service supply chains.

Andela’s compliance plan for 2022 includes a commitment to provide an online compliance module for ethical sourcing training, including steps to prevent modern slavery, for all staff and contractors providing services to Andela or Andela clients. The module will be mandatory for all personnel and will further embed Andela’s efforts to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking within our global company culture.

Approval

This statement constitutes Andela’s modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending December 31, 2021, as approved by the Andela Inc. Board of Directors (“Board”) on behalf of the Andela group on February 8, 2022.

Signed on the Board’s behalf by:

signature
Jeremy Johnson
Director, Andela Inc. for and on behalf of itself and the Andela group