Are you wondering whether your business needs a modern slavery policy? Here we explore what modern slavery is and why you should have a modern slavery statement.
What is modern-day slavery, and what are the different types of it?
Modern-day slavery is the exploration of a person that is against their will. This can take many forms, and in the UK and Ireland, they might be:
- Domestic slavery
- Human trafficking
- Forced labour on farms, construction or retail
- Sexual exploitation.
How does my business become vulnerable to modern slavery practices?
You may be careful to screen your employees, but if your business is dependent on a supply chain, someone might be using compulsory labour at some point further down the chain.
For example, if you’re a retail business, you should screen the manufacturers of your garments or products.
Using agency staff is another potential avenue that your business is subject to modern slavery. This doesn’t apply to all agencies, but some will use human trafficking from overseas, most commonly Albania, Romania, Poland, Vietnam and Nigeria. The agency will offer someone a good job in the UK, but the reality is that the new employees will have their passports removed and are told that they must pay off a debt to the traffickers once in the UK.
Most UK businesses will look to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking by implementing an anti-slavery policy.
What should my business do to prevent itself from becoming complicit in these crimes against humanity?
Some businesses are required by law to take specific measures to reduce modern slavery risks.
The Modern slavery act 2015 requires all businesses in the UK with a turnover of £36million or more per annum to produce a modern slavery report each year, detailing their modern slavery act statement and what they’re doing to combat compulsory labour in their business.
If your business doesn’t have this kind of turnover, it’s still a good idea to have a modern slavery statement in place.
Organisations looking to prevent complicity in slavery and human trafficking should produce a modern slavery risk assessment.
Are there any resources or organisations that can help me develop a policy for my business?
The most effective way to create an anti-slavery policy is to run a risk assessment for your business and supply chains and develop a zero-tolerance approach to human trafficking.
Organisations like CHAS have developed a gold standard Common Assessment Standard that helps businesses run a full risk assessment that covers modern slavery and other key areas and is recognised across many reputable accreditation bodies.
The Gov.Uk website also has some helpful free resources to help businesses identify victims of modern slavery and explains how to report slavery and human trafficking.
There is also a confidential modern slavery helpline where you can raise a concern in confidence – 08000 121 700.
What are some best practices for implementing a modern-day slavery policy within my company’s operations and supply chain?
Businesses should try to safeguard employees and avoid slavery and human trafficking wherever possible.
First, you should look to monitor the compliance of supply chain partners with modern-day slavery legislation put in place by the Government.
Put people management processes in place to check your employees’ IDs, credentials, and rights to work. There are tools available that can help you to do this.
Regardless of the size of your business, it’s a good idea to do due diligence and screen your prospective employees, business partners and global supply chains.
Create a respectful working environment for your employees so if anyone suspects modern slavery, they feel confident that they can report it without negative consequences.
Is this something that all businesses need to worry about, or just larger companies with more complex supply chains?
Any business with a supply chain or contracted employees should be concerned about modern slavery. Even if you’re a small business that relies heavily on supply chains in the UK or overseas, it’s crucial to request a modern slavery statement from the company you’re dealing with.
You may check the TISC Report for organisations within the UK, where many organisations choose to submit their own modern slavery act policy statement.
When checking your supply chain for their modern slavery act statements, ensure that they contain an audit and not just a statement. This way, you have assurances that a third party has inspected the company.
