Highlights from the UK Grower Seasonal Worker Roadshow 2026

Our colleagues, Stephanie Collister, Louise Swindale and Michelle Pumfrey, recently attended an important event in the fresh produce calendar: the UK Grower Seasonal Worker Roadshow.

Protecting our workforce and maintaining high standards across farming operations is critical to our business, so events like this are extremely important for ensuring we stay aligned on best practice, evolving legislation and customer expectations.

The one-day event in Ledbury brought together growers, labour providers and packers from across the region to focus on fair work and the protection of seasonal workers. Here are the highlights…

The importance of safeguarding seasonal workers

The roadshow opened with an overview of the proposed Fair Work Agency, emphasising the importance of robust due diligence to identify risks and safeguard workers.

Joanna Young from the Association of Labour Providers provided a useful update on the Employment Rights Act 2025, highlighting the increased responsibilities on businesses to strengthen their worker protection measures.

Embedding ethical trade into everyday business

Aisha Aswani from Co-op shared practical examples of how ethical trade can be embedded into everyday business practices, demonstrating how leadership and collective responsibility contribute to safer working environments for everyone.

The ‘voice of workers’ was a key theme throughout the day, particularly the importance of building trust in reporting channels and ensuring worker committees are effective.

The workshop also offered demonstrations of practical tools such as the IOM handbook, alongside emerging technologies like VR headsets to enhance training and safety within the UK berry sector.

Key lessons learned from the roadshow

• Strong due diligence is essential to protect workers and uphold our brand integrity

• The Employment Rights Act 2025 will reinforce accountability across the supply chain

• Fair work practices support safe, respectful, and sustainable working environments

• Worker voice is critical for identifying risks and driving continuous improvement

Why we’re dedicated to protecting our seasonal workers

Seasonal workers are a vital part of our UK operations, which is why we’re committed to strengthening our approach to worker protection. For us, it’s not just a compliance requirement, but a core part of our mission to put people first and build long-term sustainability.

Community is at the heart of everything we do, so we’re proud to support our workers, both here in the UK and across the world.