Submission to Modern Slavery Inquiry

Published October 10th, 2018
Category: Engagement, Research Report

The Home Affairs Committee of the UK’s Parliament agreed in July 2018 to conduct an inquiry into the progress made since the Modern Slavery Act came into force in 2015. Since 2016 the CIG has been undertaking engagement with investee companies around a provision in Section 54 of the Act. Section 54 requires that companies report annually on their efforts to eliminate modern slavery from their supply chains. The CIG, having learnt from this engagement, decided to provide written evidence to the committee in a joint submission drafted in collaboration with CCLA.

In our submission we highlight:

• The disparity between company reporting about the extent of modern slavery in their supply chains and research by civil society and academics. We would like to see a greater amount of more thorough supply chain due diligence by companies along with increased transparency when problems are found.
• That collaborative action by companies provides the best examples of real progress being made in supply chains. Government has a role to help foster this collaboration.
• The need for a centralised repository for slavery and human trafficking statements and a strong Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

A full copy of the submission is available here.