New report calls on UK Government to strengthen forced labour and modern slavery legislation

Without new legislation, the UK risks becoming a “dumping ground” for products that fail to meet international human rights norms, argue the authors of a new report by the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Eleanor Lyons.

The report proposes the UK Government adopts new legislation to prevent labour exploitation and the human rights abuse that is “blighting our global value chains”. It includes what effective draft legislation might look like.

The proposed draft Bill – known as ‘Model Legislative Drafting’ – was developed in partnership with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC), modern slavery charity Unseen, as well as the law firm Omnia Strategy LLP and advisory firm Forward Global.

The report’s authors argue that new legislation is needed as the UK’s landmark Modern Slavery Act 2015 has not kept pace with global change in tackling transparency in supply chains.

Anti-Slavery Commissioner Eleanor Lyons engaged with international partners, large organisations and SMEs, civil society, trade unions and survivors of forced labour to better understand what is needed to protect workers, provide clarity for businesses looking to end modern slavery in their value chains, and enable economic growth free from exploitation.

Public polling was also conducted, which revealed that 92% of people believe companies must ensure their supply chains are free from forced or child labour, and agree that it is important to protect UK businesses from this type of unfair competition. Yet only 9% fully trust companies to act voluntarily without government oversight.

The proposed draft legislation from IASC, Unseen and Omnia Strategy LLP is designed to provide a clear, consistent UK-wide approach.

Key elements of the proposed draft bill include:

• Establishing responsibility of companies and public bodies for serious human rights harms – backed by penalties
• The power to prohibit forced labour products from the UK market
• Strengthened reporting with Section 54 (Transparency in Supply Chains) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to be replaced with a broader human rights due diligence closure regime – mandatory for large organisations and backed by financial penalties
• Give greater power to ministers and the Office for Responsible Business Conduct to protect human rights

Read the proposed law and full IASC report, here.

Why the time for action is now

The report argues that the UK’s current legislative landscape to tackle forced labour is a “complex patchwork of disjointed laws”, and has fallen behind its international partners. Strengthened legislation is also required to protect businesses and economic growth.

Andew Wallis OBE, CEO of Unseen, believes that new legislation should be viewed as economic growth policy, not regulatory burden.

“Modern slavery costs the UK an estimated £60bn every year – around 2% of GDP – and we import roughly £20bn worth of goods annually that carry a high risk of forced labour," explains Wallis.

"This doesn’t just devastate lives; it actively undercuts responsible UK businesses. As new EU legislation such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the forced labour ban is implemented over the coming years, there is a growing risk that goods linked to abuse will struggle to meet EU requirements and be diverted to alternative destinations. Without robust mandatory human rights due diligence, the UK risks becoming a dumping ground for exploitation.”

Eleanor Lyons, the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, concluded in the foreword of the new report:

“Now is the moment for the Government to deliver and introduce the new legislation included in this proposal. The voices of those with lived experience must be included in this process, their expertise is vital in preventing and ending exploitation. There is an opportunity to stand firm against exploitation, promote economic growth, and show leadership. This legislation is needed. It will enable economic growth, support business, and prevent us becoming a market for the world’s unwanted goods.”

The CIPS Foundation is supporting the development of Unseen's Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline to boost its data analysis and supply chain intelligence capabilities. 

Find out more about how the CIPS Foundation is backing Unseen, and listen to Andrew Wallis on the CIPS Futures Podcast.