Jurisdiction
For products sold in UK
Law Summary
The UK’s Act requires commercial organisations with a global turnover above £36 million, operating in the UK, to publish an annual statement outlining steps taken to prevent modern slavery in their business and supply chains. It aims to increase transparency and encourage businesses to tackle forced labour risks.
Law Obligation
- Publish an annual ‘slavery and human trafficking statement’ detailing actions taken to address modern slavery in their supply chain
- The statement must outline steps taken to ensure the supply chain is slavery-free, including disclosure if no action has been taken
- Require suppliers to provide their Modern Slavery statements and conduct rigorous audits on high-risk categories, including examining operations, labour and material sourcing, and downstream suppliers for potential threats
- Explain audit processes and non- compliance identification, ensuring suppliers and service providers adhere to the Act
- Conduct risk assessments on operations and global supply chains, mapping out supply chains and identifying high-risk areas for human trafficking and slavery
- Engage with suppliers through questionnaires on operational activities with modern slavery risks
- Provide staff training on modern slavery awareness and identification
- Maintain compliance with applicable laws and implement corrective actions outlined in the annual statement, including whistleblower protection policies.
- Enforce a Supplier Code of Conduct, outlining expectations for suppliers regarding forced labour, safe working conditions, and fair wages
- The statement must be prominently displayed on the website and available upon request within 30 days. Statements are also to be published on the “Modern Slavery Statement Registry”, the reporting service for the UK Modern Slavery Act.
