Addressing Modern Slavery 

What is Modern Slavery, and how can we end it?

There are estimated to be 49.6 million people working in slavery, worldwide. 

Modern slavery is a situation where someone has taken away another person’s freedom to control their body or their freedom to choose to refuse certain work or to stop working. 

Freedom is taken away by threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power and deception.

In order to address the crime of modern slavery and the broader human and labour rights issues, it is essential that we focus on global supply chains to bring about long-lasting positive change.

We’re here to eliminate modern slavery together.

We work with our clients and their suppliers to drive influence and to create change to make a real difference in people’s lives.

We examine the supply chain to understand where the modern slavery risks may lie and do a deep dive into high risk suppliers so we can understand individual risks.  

It’s difficult for businesses to undertake this process alone, because it requires knowledge, experience, expertise in human rights and modern slavery due diligence.

We’re here to support you every step of the way.

Is Modern Slavery an issue in your business?

(If you said no… are you sure?)

Naturally, you’d agree that you want workers in your supply chain to:

• be treated fairly

• not be exposed to exploitative and dangerous work practices

• earn at least a minimum wage

The truth is that in countries like Australia, it's easy for businesses to turn a blind eye to where their products are sourced from, further down the supply chain.

Let’s crack this wide open!

Assessing your supply chain for Modern Slavery Risks

Even if you’re doing everything possible to protect workers’ safety and human rights in your own factories, you don’t know what’s happening in your suppliers’ factories. 

This can be challenging and complex, and we’re here to help guide you through the process.

Here’s an example supply chain: let’s say your company makes office furniture.

Your own factory might control the cutting and welding of steel tubes into workstation legs, and you know that your company’s workers are all paid fairly for their work and they work in safe conditions. A great start.

But you don’t know for sure about the modern slavery risks or human rights violations that might be happening in your supply chain.

Consider the labour conditions in the steel fabrication plant where the steel tube is made. 

Or the fair pay of workers manufacturing the fabrics for partitions and chairs. 

Or the safe use of chemicals by workers in an outsourced powder-coating factory or chroming facility.

There’s so much you don’t know - and can’t know - about conditions in your supply chain until we start digging. 

That’s why you need to engage an experienced specialist. 

Why is addressing modern slavery important NOW? 

Modern Slavery Legislation in Australia

Thousands of Australian businesses are reporting under the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act (2018) which will include large corporations, educational institutions and charities. 

Australian companies that are procuring goods from high-risk countries and regions including the Asia-Pacific region may unwittingly be complicit in modern slavery and human rights abuses.

This legislation will also indirectly affect the companies that supply goods and services to these businesses and Commonwealth or NSW Government departments. 

There is also an opportunity for smaller companies to voluntarily report under the Modern Slavery Act. Reporting voluntarily may help you become a preferred supplier for large companies that are required to report. 

For you this means:

If you’re a large Australian company turning over AUD$100M, you’re required to comply with Modern Slavery Legislation. (Read more about the process for large companies below).

If you’re a smaller Australian company you don’t have to comply now. 

BUT if you supply to larger companies or government departments that are required to comply, they will prefer suppliers that can show compliance or are voluntarily reporting under the Modern Slavery Act. 

If you become compliant (before your competitors) you may have a commercial advantage in tenders as a supplier to larger companies or government.  (Read more about the process for smaller companies below).

What’s involved in the Modern Slavery assessment process?

• Preliminary – 30-minute consultation. No-obligation, free call

• Phase 1 – Training, gap analysis and action plan

• Phase 2 – High level Risk assessment and mitigation strategies

• Phase 3 -  Detailed supplier assessment and policy/code development 

• Phase 4 – Document your Modern Slavery Statement

See ALL the details for large businesses (over $100M turnover) and smaller businesses (under $100M turnover) below.

The entire process can take 3 to 6 months (or more) to complete, especially if you have an extensive supply chain.

Modern Slavery process: for larger entities 

Australian companies and international entities with turnovers of more than AUD$100M are now required to comply with modern slavery legislation. 

We can help you prepare for the modern slavery legislation by supporting you to:

• Create a roadmap with practical solutions and recommendations for stakeholders

• Understand current modern slavery legislation requirements

• Prepare your modern slavery statement (that’s the actions you’re taking to assess and address modern slavery)

• Mentor and support internal staff with the modern slavery due diligence process

• Conduct an executive board presentation

• Train and bring awareness to internal stakeholders about human and labour rights issues and modern slavery practices

• Conduct a gap assessment of existing policies and practices and identify areas of implementation, compliance and improvement

• Establish a sustainable supply chain due diligence system, including:

  • Mapping your suppliers and identifying modern slavery risks within your supply chain

  • Conducting a high-level risk assessment of your suppliers and contracted services

  • Setting objectives and action plans to address modern slavery risks and broader human rights impacts

  • Creating a Suppliers Code of Conduct to meet company and stakeholders’ expectations

  • Developing policies, manuals and templates that give guidance in supply chain due diligence

  • Modern slavery and human rights impact auditing advice

If you love getting into ALL the details:
Click here to download our detailed guide, for more information about each phase.

This process typically takes 3-9 months, and we often have a waiting period before we can get started.

Modern Slavery process: for smaller businesses

Smaller companies that are not required to report under the modern slavery legislation may recognise the competitive advantage of being an early adopter. 

By choosing to voluntarily opt-in, there are opportunities for smaller businesses to become preferred suppliers to companies and government departments that are required to report under the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act. 

Companies that are mandated to report will be keen to partner with businesses that are also tackling modern slavery.

We can help you:

• Educate your team on what modern slavery is, where it’s likely to occur, the high-risk industries and countries, and which types of workers are vulnerable to modern slavery

• Conduct a high-level risk assessment to gauge the likelihood of modern slavery in your supply chain

• Map your supply chain

• Identify high-risk suppliers and conduct a detailed risk assessment 

• Document policies, procedures and action plans that address human rights and modern slavery

• Develop and implement remediation measures when modern slavery is found

• Mentor and support staff with the modern slavery due diligence process

We also provide tools, guides and templates that you can use directly with your suppliers in the due diligence process – you don’t have to create these from scratch!

If you love getting into ALL the details:

Click here to download our detailed guide, for more information about each phase.

This process takes 3-9 months, and we often have a waiting period of several weeks before we can get started.