Modern slavery — including forced labour, human trafficking, and exploitation — remains a serious global issue that businesses must actively guard against. All organisations, regardless of size or sector, have a responsibility to ensure their operations and supply chains are free from modern slavery and uphold fundamental human rights. Taking action not only reduces legal and reputational risk but also supports ethical sourcing and sustainable development.

To address modern slavery risks, businesses should start by developing a clear policy outlining their commitment to ethical labour practices. They should assess risks within their operations and supply chains — particularly in areas involving low-paid, outsourced, or high-risk labour — and engage with suppliers to ensure due diligence and transparency.

Providing training for staff, having mechanisms for reporting concerns, and requiring supplier codes of conduct are all effective ways to reduce risk. Businesses should also be prepared to take corrective action where issues are identified and work with partners to support long-term improvements.

By embedding modern slavery awareness and controls into their processes, businesses contribute to safer, fairer working conditions and help drive systemic change across industries.

Have you assessed and taken steps to identify and mitigate modern slavery risks in your supply chain?

• Operations at significant risk for incidents of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking
• Information on actions taken to mitigate the risk of modern slavery within the supply chain