The ongoing battle to tackle the issue of modern slavery has stepped up a gear in the UK recently, with the Home Office writing to approximately 17,000 organisations to warn them that they risk being named and shamed if they do not publish a modern slavery statement.
Under the terms of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 businesses with an annual turnover of £36 million or more must publish an annual statement on how they have guarded against slavery in their organisations, ideally within six months of the end of the financial year. But the evidence suggests that only 60% of those required to do this have complied, and a number of those who have done so have failed to produce something that meets the basic requirements.
The government has provided guidance on what information such statements should include. Organisations are required to explain their structure and the manner in which their business and supply chains work. They must identify risk areas for slavery and human trafficking within that structure and detail both those steps taken to minimize the risk and their effectiveness when measured against performance indicators. Finally they must publish a slavery and human trafficking policy, explain their due diligence process, and detail what training they offer staff to implement it.
With police in England and Wales reporting a 49% increase in modern slavery offences in the year ending March 2018 compared to the previous year, it is little surprise that the Home Office has seen fit to apply greater pressure. At the same time initiatives such as ‘Tech Against Trafficking’, which aims to ease the burden on businesses by tackling the issue through innovative technology, are making it more and more difficult for organisations to ignore their responsibilities.
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