Missing a Modern Slavery Statement?

Legally, organisations with an annual turnover of £36 million or more must publish a modern slavery statement each year.

Unfortunately, statistics tell us that not all employers who must publish statement have done so. In fact, only 75% have produced a report. Of these 75%, not all have an up to date report. This means, there are a significant number of employers who are currently in breach of employment law.

It might seem easy to write modern slavery off as a thing of the past. However, in 2020 there was more than one high profile case of modern slavery. These cases didn’t just affect one business, but a whole range of organisations across the UK. If modern slavery is in your supply chain, you will have to answer some difficult questions.

It’s hard to say whether modern slavery is on the rise, decline, or just staying the same. What you cannot deny, is that it still exists, and persists to this day. Failure to publish a statement is punishable by law, it is vital that you aren’t missing a modern slavery policy.

2021 will bring changes to modern slavery in business. Stay up to date for the latest update with the Croner blog.

What should I include in my Modern Slavery Statement?

The government advises that every statement should have the following sections:

• Organisational Structure: Detail the internal structure of your business. This includes any other organisations within your main business. Include locations of all your offices, as well as the primary purpose of each office/business. Within this section you should also include details of supply chains.
• Definitions/Commitment: Outline what your business considers ‘modern slavery’. This is a fairly standard definition and can be found on the government website. Then, outline your organisation’s commitment to tackling the issue of modern slavery in all the forms stated in the definition.
• Due Diligence: Outline the steps you’ll take to ensure slavery and human trafficking doesn’t occur in your workplace or supply chains.
• Areas of risk: Specify the areas within your business/supply chain where there might be a heightened risk of slavery. Detail any preventative measures you’ve put in place.
• Assessment of effectiveness: Here, you should detail how effective your preventative methods are. Explore how the steps you have taken to combat slavery have helped.
• Training: Mention any and all training given to staff to detect and combat modern slavery. If there’s an individual responsible for tackling modern slavery, mention them and their role.

If you want to see an example of a modern slavery statement, you can view ours here.

Expert Support

For assistance producing your modern slavery statement, speak to an expert at Croner on 01455 858 132.