Modern slavery reporting: Is there evidence of progress?

This analysis of modern slavery statements focuses on changes in reporting and practice in addressing forced labour and human trafficking.

Some key findings

Under the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, companies with a financial turnover of over £36m must make an annual statement on their efforts to combat modern slavery. However, from a cohort of 150 companies last analysed in April 2017, only 81 companies or 54% have produced a subsequent statement. As there is no official monitoring or enforcement mechanism, companies that do not produce new statements face little by way of sanctions.
Among the 81 companies that produced an updated statement, 58% incorporated substantial changes, but a significant minority (42%) made no changes or only minimal changes. This suggests that many companies are not applying a continuous improvement approach to developing reporting of their activities to counter modern slavery.

Modern slavery reporting: Is there evidence of progress? - Ergon Associates, 2018 DOWNLOAD

G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration

Publications

The G20 ministers committed to taking action to improve occupational safety and health through the country-level and collective measures, taking into account each country’s national context, including by promoting responsible business practices and...Read More

TAGS: Global

The Hidden Cost of Jewelry: Human Rights in Supply Chains and the Responsibility of Jewelry Companies

Publications

In this report, Human Rights Watch scrutinizes steps taken by key actors within the jewelry industry to ensure that rights are respected in their gold and diamond supply chains. The report focuses on the policies and practices of 13 major jewelry bra...Read More

TAGS: Sourcing or Production Due Diligence Auditing & QSA Supplier Management Extractives & Mining Asia Europe North America

Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region: The Evidence

Publications

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has instituted an unprecedented system of state-sponsored forced la- bor for Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other minoritized citizens in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (or XUAR or Uyghur Region, also known...Read More

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Eradicating Forced Labour in Electronics

Publications

The information and communications technology sector(ICT) is at high risk of forced labour. A significant number ofworkers in electronics supply chains are migrant workers who are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The US Department of Labour�...Read More

TAGS: Sourcing or Production Information and Communications Technology Manufacturing Europe