Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Modern slaveryLatest News

Around 17,000 firms have not published modern slavery statements

by Ashleigh Webber 19 Oct 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 19 Oct 2018 Protesters at the Walk for Freedom march earlier this year
Matthew Chattle/REX/Shutterstock
Protesters at the Walk for Freedom march earlier this year
Matthew Chattle/REX/Shutterstock

The Home Office is writing to the chief executives of around 17,000 organisations that have not yet published a modern slavery statement, warning them that they could be named and shamed as being in breach of the law.

It estimated that only 60% of the employers in scope of the requirement have published a statement setting out what they are doing to stop modern slavery in their own organisation and in their supply chains.

Modern slavery statements

Modern slavery and human trafficking statement

Writing a modern slavery statement: a guide for employers

Businesses with an annual turnover of at least £36 million must publish a statement for each financial year. There is no strict deadline for publication, but the government’s guidance on complying with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 encourages publication within six months of the end of the financial year.

Of those that have been published, some are of poor quality and fail to meet basic legal requirements, the Home Office said.

“Some businesses are already leading the way in taking action by being open and transparent about what they are doing to identify, tackle and prevent forced labour in their supply chains, but too many are still failing to meet their basic legal obligations,” said minister for crime, safeguarding and vulnerability Victoria Atkins.

“That’s why the Home Office is sending letters to businesses today with a clear message that continued non-compliance will not be tolerated.”

The government’s guidance on preparing a modern slavery statement says organisations should include:

  • its structure, its business and supply chains;
  • its slavery and human trafficking policies;
  • its due diligence process;
  • the areas where there is a risk of slavery and human trafficking and the steps it takes to assess and minimise that risk;
  • its effectiveness in ensuring that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place, measured against performance indicators; and
  • the training it offers its staff in this area.

There were 3,337 modern slavery offences recorded by police in England and Wales the year to March 2018 – a 49% increase on the previous year – according to the Home Office’s annual report on modern slavery.

Examples of how organisations are minimising the risk of modern slavery in their supply chains include the “Tech Against Trafficking” initiative, which sees technology firms partner with NGOs and academics to look at how technology can be used to tackle modern slavery; and the Co-Op’s “Bright Future” programme, which gives those rescued from slavery paid work experience and employment.

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and part of the Personnel Today editorial team. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport.

previous post
How menopause policies can help to reduce employment tribunal risk
next post
World of Learning 2018: Four engagement hacks for L&D teams

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Modern slavery: 10% of companies fail to publish...

26 Apr 2022

H&M signs pledge to protect female workers in...

1 Apr 2022

Dyson faces supply chain labour abuse claim

11 Feb 2022

Seasonal workers left without running water and unfairly...

12 Jan 2022

MPs critical of government rejection of Uyghur proposals

10 Jun 2021

Workers’ rights watchdog to be launched

8 Jun 2021

Modern slavery statement registry launched

11 Mar 2021

MPs ask Boohoo for evidence of progress on...

5 Mar 2021

Employment law in limbo: Key proposals to resurrect...

4 Feb 2021

Employment law: Seven key tasks for HR in...

11 Nov 2020
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+