 People matter. The Welsh Government has produced a code of practice to help ensure ethical and lawful employment for workers in public sector supply chains. The Welsh public sector spends over £5 billion annually. All expenditure involves a supply chain, sometimes long, complex and global. Workers are involved at each stage, potentially subject to unlawful or unethical employment practices. Modern slavery. At the extreme end of unlawful practice, workers can be forced to work against their will or be bought and sold. They can have documents confiscated so they cannot escape. They can be forced to work for very low wages, often to pay off debts. Or they can be threatened and ill-treated. Other unlawful practices include blacklisting, denying employment to trade union members or workers who have made health and safety complaints, false self-employment, avoiding obligations to employees or avoiding paying tax. Unethical employment practices can include using umbrella employment schemes, sometimes a legitimate and efficient way of employing casual staff but can be used to avoid entitlements such as paid leave and health and safety obligations. Using zero-hours contracts. Sometimes an attractive, flexible option for workers but can be used unfairly to avoid paying travel time and preventing job security. Many workers in our supply chains are simply not being paid a fair wage. What is the Code? The Code has 12 commitments. Any public, private or third sector organisation can sign up. In signing up, organisations commit to ethical employment and to encouraging their suppliers to do the same, flowing the commitments down the supply chain. Commitments include deploying policies, training staff, considering employment practices throughout procurement, reviewing high-risk areas of expenditure, considering paying the Living Wage Foundation's Living Wage. Four online guides offer practical advice to help you implement the Code. Why sign up to the Code? Because people matter. Unlawful and unfair employment practices are happening in our supply chains. By signing up, organisations will benefit by adopting best practice procurement policy. Cost savings. Ethical employers recruit and retain a more engaged workforce delivering value through a resilient supply chain. Strong corporate social responsibility. Growing sustainable business relationships. Supporting delivery of the well-being of future generations Wales Act. Download the Code of Practice and its toolkit.