In 2015, the UK government introduced the Modern Slavery Act, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at combating modern slavery through both prevention and prosecution while providing vital protections for victims. Following extensive discussion, the Act incorporated a significant provision on supply chain transparency, which became effective in October of the same year. This provision mandates that organizations maintain clear, ethical practices, holding them accountable for eradicating forced labour and exploitation within their operations and supply chains.
Modern slavery remains a global crisis, affecting an estimated 21 million people worldwide, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). This figure encompasses various forms of forced labor, including human trafficking, debt bondage, and child labour. In the UK alone, approximately 13,000 people are believed to be enslaved, working in sectors such as agriculture, hospitality, fishing, private households, brothels, nail salons, and cannabis farms. As the world’s second-largest criminal industry, modern slavery and trafficking yield annual profits of approximately $150 billion, as reported by the UN and ILO.
The Modern Slavery Act’s “Transparency in Supply Chains” provision is designed to confront and eliminate slavery hidden within the global supply chains of businesses operating in or supplying to the UK. Recent investigations have uncovered instances of forced labor and trafficking across industries, from Thailand’s prawn farming to debt bondage in electronics manufacturing and migrant worker exploitation in Scottish and Irish fisheries.
Under this provision, companies are now legally accountable for identifying and addressing slavery and labor abuses across their entire supply chain. This accountability encourages businesses to ensure that no form of slavery is associated with British products or services, reassuring consumers, investors, and employees that these companies are committed to ethical practices.
At Extra Workforce, we have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery. We are dedicated to operating ethically and with integrity across all our business practices and partnerships. We are committed to implementing and enforcing systems and controls to prevent any occurrence of modern slavery within our own operations and throughout our supply chain.
Our contracting process includes clear prohibitions against forced, compulsory, or trafficked labor and against any practices that hold individuals in slavery or servitude. We expect that all suppliers uphold these high standards and enforce them within their own supply chains.
The responsibility for preventing, detecting, and reporting modern slavery lies with all individuals working for Extra Workforce or under our control. We encourage all employees and contractors to report any concerns or suspicions of modern slavery within our business or our supply chain promptly.
We also pledge to protect any individual who, in good faith, reports a concern about potential modern slavery from any form of detrimental treatment. Our zero-tolerance stance on modern slavery will be communicated to all suppliers, contractors, and business partners at the start of our relationship and reinforced regularly thereafter.