Modern slavery and human rights in business

Modern slavery is the illegal exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain. This serious criminal activity includes human trafficking, slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour.

Businesses have a responsibility to ensure that the working terms and conditions they provide, and the supply chains they operate, are lawful and ethical. Many businesses have operations and/or supply chains in countries that do not recognise human rights or monitor human rights abuses including modern slavery.

As employers and providers of goods and services using global supply chains, businesses have a key role to play in tackling modern slavery and protecting vulnerable workers from exploitation.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires every business with a total annual turnover of £36 million or more to publish a slavery and human trafficking statement. This must outline what the organisation is doing to prevent and tackle modern slavery in its operations and supply chain.

This guide explains how to protect workers from exploitation, how to detect and eliminate modern slavery in supply chains and how to report a modern slavery incident. It will help you understand the business benefits of tackling modern slavery. You will also find guidance on what to include in a slavery and human trafficking statement.