From the Chief Executive Officer AB Dynamics plc
(‘AB Dynamics’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group') are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all their business dealings and relationships and implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery in all its forms (including human trafficking, forced labour and child labour), is not taking place anywhere in its Group businesses or in any of its supply chains.
Our business
Founded in 1982 as a specialist vehicle engineering company, AB Dynamics has grown consistently to become one of the world’s most trusted global suppliers of automotive test and verification systems. Today, the Group has many global automotive customers, including global vehicle manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, all Euro NCAP laboratories, as well as numerous global test facilities and autonomous vehicle developers.
Organisation structure
AB Dynamics is the ultimate holding company of the following subsidiaries:
Risk of modern slavery
AB Dynamics has assessed its exposure to modern slavery and there are two main areas of risk which need consideration and management: internal risks within the Group (employees) and risks arising from the Group’s supply chain. The Group has approximately 560 employees worldwide, with operational subsidiaries based in the UK, USA, Germany, Japan, Singapore and China. Whilst most of the Company’s employees are based in major advanced economies all of which have strong legislation governing human rights, the Global Slavery Index (GSI) estimated in 2023 that 5.8 million people in China and 1.1 million people in USA and were living in modern slavery. Therefore, this remains an area of potential risk for the Group. Four entities within the Group manufacture products and so have supply chains for material and components. Whilst these entities are in the UK, Germany and USA, their supply chains are global. The remaining entities within the Group supply automotive testing services and software where the supply chain comprises low quantities of office and vehicle consumables. Therefore this year, as in previous years, the Group has focused its supply chain risk management activities on its manufacturing subsidiaries.
Acts to address future risk
AB Dynamics focuses on effective communication, training, and resourcing of its employees to shape the environment and set the tone in assessing and mitigating risk and working to prevent modern slavery in its supply chains and within the Group.
Our employee risk
To minimise the risk to employees arising in China, the USA and elsewhere across the Group, AB Dynamics has implemented a four-part methodology which specifies that all employees: -
1. Must have written employment contracts
2. Have access to the Group’s anonymous whistleblowing portal
3. Receive training on modern slavery on joining and at least every two years thereafter
4. Are made aware of the Group’s Modern Slavery Policy.
All Group employees must be employed on formal employment contracts or letters of employment which are accompanied by staff handbooks and/or standalone policies (including the Group’s Modern Slavery Policy) detailing each employees’ rights and the Group’s obligations to its staff.
AB Dynamics’ Modern Slavery Policy, which was introduced in November 2019, is reviewed annually and circulated worldwide to all employees within the Group to increase awareness of this issue and influence positive behaviour within the Group.
In addition to this, training is given to all employees within the Group on the specific risks of modern slavery with an emphasis on how to identify warning signs which may indicate someone is a victim of slavery or human trafficking.
The Group’s Whistleblowing Policy is published online (at www.abdplc.com) and describes how employees can speak up about suspected illegal or unethical conduct. AB Dynamics has a Group-wide online whistleblowing portal “SpeakUp”, where employees are encouraged to raise any concerns (and can do so anonymously) to an independent non-executive director of AB Dynamics.
In order to improve understanding and reach more vulnerable individuals across the Group, both the Modern Slavery and Whistleblowing Policies are available in the main languages used within the Group. The modern slavery training is provided through the Group’s iHasco training portal and is available in those main languages through the provision of subtitles. The whistleblowing portal also allows for reporting and two-way communications in the main languages used within the Group using in-built machine translation.
All employees who join the Group receive this training and are provided with information on where to access AB Dynamics’ policies and the Speak Up portal. All employees are expected to undertake this training every two years.
Through these tools AB Dynamics aims to encourage openness and will support staff who raise genuine concerns in good faith under the Modern Slavery Policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. Employees are encouraged to report any such concerns through the whistleblowing portal which are investigated in line with the Group’s Whistleblowing Policy.
Last year AB Dynamics also undertook several audits relating to its Employee Risk: -
• Checks on employment contracts: To date 75% of employment contracts have been checked, all new starters are provided with letters of employment or contracts in accordance with local laws.
• Checks on Bank Accounts: Each subsidiary within the Group has undertaken an audit to check that no two employees have their salaries paid into the same bank/deposit accounts. This issue is a well-established sign of modern slavery and was highlighted in a recent case in the UK.
Going forward the Group intends to conclude the checks on employment contracts, and if contracts/letters cannot be located, these will be implemented. We will also repeat the checks on bank/deposit accounts again in Autumn 2026, and are currently investigating with our external payroll provider, whether these checks can be performed monthly alongside the payroll.
Our supply chain risk
As noted above, four entities within the Group manufacture products and have supply chains for material and components. Therefore, the Group’s supplier risk management activities have been focused on these subsidiaries. To minimise the risk occurring within these subsidiaries’ supply chains the Group has implemented the following: -
1. Publication of the Modern Slavery Policy on our public websites.
2. Introduction of standardised Supplier Assessments which include due diligence checks on supplier compliance with modern slavery laws.
3. Screening of potential suppliers through a third-party risk management screening service
4. Update of Standard Terms & Conditions for procurement and the continuing review and negotiation of other commercial contracts to ensure our suppliers are under appropriate obligations to mitigate the risk of modern slavery occurring in the supply chain.
5. Access to the Group’s whistleblowing portal for third parties including suppliers and contractors.
As mentioned above, the Group’s Modern Slavery Policy is published on the Group’s website and is accessible to all the Group’s customers and suppliers. This policy is available in the main languages used within the Group, and all its manufacturing subsidiaries are encouraged to circulate the policy to their suppliers. The Group has introduced a supply chain management system (SCMS) to screen suppliers. This new procedure has been trialled at the Group’s largest manufacturing subsidiary Anthony Best Dynamics Limited. The SCMS is a four step process involving:
• Supplier self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ): This is our primary screening tool. Suppliers are scored based on their responses, which helps us determine whether further due-diligence is required or whether they should be excluded from the AB Dynamics supply chain.
• On-site audits: Conducted for suppliers whose questionnaire scores fall below our defined threshold.
• Risk assessments: Higher-risk suppliers undergo an additional review using a third-party screening tool.
• UK-specific verification: We verify UK suppliers via Companies House
The SAQs have been issued to all 300 of Anthony Best Dynamics’ suppliers which provide it with materials and/or components and are also issued to all of its new suppliers.
Each SAQ is reviewed, evaluated against the set criteria and scored. Over 80% of suppliers met the required score and those that either did not respond or engage or did not meet the minimum scores required were removed from the company’s approved supplier list.
The SAQ procedure is also supplemented by either three-monthly or monthly site visits and follow-up audits as required.
AB Dynamics aims to roll out this approach and the use of the third-party screening tool to its other manufacturing subsidiaries.
AB Dynamics has also engaged “Unseen” a charity which provides a range of specialist advice on modern slavery to provide enhanced training to our procurement teams and other employees who attend the premises of our customers and suppliers, to enable individuals to spot signs of forced labour and other forms of modern slavery.
AB Dynamics will continue to require its suppliers to actively manage their own modern slavery risk within their businesses and supply chains, as a contractual requirement within our standard terms and conditions for procurement. Where bespoke terms are agreed with suppliers, additional wording shall continue to be included to ensure each suppliers’ adherence to AB Dynamics’ policies. AB Dynamics also plans to introduce a supplier code of conduct to which all its current and future suppliers would be required to comply.
Third parties also have access to the Group’s whistleblowing portal and associated policy, and links to the portal are published on the Group’s website. As noted above, the portal allows for anonymous reporting and all parties are encouraged to ‘Speak-up’ without fear of reprisal.
In conclusion
AB Dynamics operates a zero-tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking and is committed to running its business responsibly. In order to maintain visibility and an open dialogue with all of its stakeholders, the Modern Slavery and Whistleblowing Policies are published on AB Dynamics’ website allowing all employees, customers and suppliers the opportunity to raise concerns directly with AB Dynamics. AB Dynamics is committed to only working with parties who take their obligations towards modern slavery seriously. On review, AB Dynamics is confident that the various measures set out above are sufficient to prevent modern slavery occurring within the Group, to effectively manage the fair treatment of our own workforce and to address, among other things, issues of child labour, compulsory labour, and human trafficking within its supply chains. AB Dynamics has not been made aware of any slavery or human trafficking of any kind in any part of its business or supply chain, and no whistleblowing reports have been received by the Group regarding modern slavery or human trafficking during the last financial year ending 31 August 2025, or to date.
Approval
This Statement is made in accordance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and was approved by the Board of Directors of AB Dynamics plc on 8 April 2026.
Signed by Sarah Matthews-DeMers Chief Executive Officer
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