New course release: Global modern slavery training
We’d like to think slavery has been consigned to history, but sadly, that’s far from true. According to Anti-Slavery International, it is estimated that 40 million people are trapped in modern slavery today. According to the Global Slavery Index, there is a surprisingly high rate of slavery in developed countries: an estimated one in 800 […]
Modern Slavery – What’s happening around the world?
Everyone, everywhere, has the has the right to live a life free of slavery. We’d like to think slavery has been consigned to history, but unfortunately, that’s far from true. While it may look different than the traditional slavery-associated images of shackles and transatlantic ships, and while it may be kept just out of site, […]
The Australian Modern Slavery Act – compliance best practice
Is slavery a thing of the past? Unfortunately not. According to the Global Slavery Index, it is estimated that on any given day, there are 15,000 people living in conditions of modern slavery in Australia. Cases of forced labour exploitation are especially high in industries considered high risk, such as agriculture, construction, domestic labour, meat […]
Increased risk of modern slavery amid COVID-19 pandemic
A new report by the Centre for Social Justice found that there are currently at least 100,000 victims of modern slavery in the UK. This is a huge increase from the 10,000-13,000 suspected victims according to a 2017 government study. Recently, Leicester-based fashion brands Boohoo and Quiz have been embroiled in modern slavery allegations. Boohoo […]
Modern Slavery Act 2015 review – How close are we to a slavery-free Britain?
Frank Field MP, Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss and Maria Miller MP have recently completed a review of the operation and effectiveness of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act) and to recommend improvements commissioned by the Home Office. With the full report yet to be published, we take a look at the effectiveness of The Act. […]
Australia follows Britain’s lead and finally implements a Modern Slavery Act
The Global Slavery Index estimates that on any given day, there are 15,000 people living in conditions of modern slavery in Australia – a shocking number in a modern, developed country like Australia. Following consultations with the business community, the Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018 went into effect on 1 January 2019. This comes four […]
Modern Slavery Act prosecutions are up – but whose job is it to enforce the Act?
Last week, the Crown Prosecution Service published its first report into Modern day slavery following the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015. The report showed that there was a 27% increase in the number of suspects charged with slavery offences in 2017/18 compared with the previous year. Referrals of modern slavery allegations have […]
Modern Slavery Act – preparing your second statement
2017 marks the first year that all companies (with revenues of at least £36m) must provide a Modern Slavery Act disclosure. Many companies are now preparing their second statement and are seeking guidance on how to amend their statement and how to address ongoing training requirements. Useful resources Modern Slavery Statement template – are you aware […]
Modern Slavery Act enforcement bulletin
Action against modern slavery is ramping up. In just the month of May 2017, the Modern Slavery Helpline dealt with nearly 200 potential victims in the UK. In the first five months of this year, 1,179 potential victims of modern slavery were identified. Yet this number is a drop in the ocean compared to the […]
Why publishing a modern slavery statement is now more important than ever
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 has now been in force for over 18 months. The Act means large organisations must pay closer attention to the practices of their suppliers. This includes carrying out audits of their suppliers, investigating the physical conditions of the workforce and being on the look out for instances of child labour. […]
