Every year on the 10 December, Human Rights Day is observed, it is the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year is the 70th anniversary. With this milestone we are running a blog on modern slavery in the workplace.
Human trafficking involves recruitment, harbouring or transporting people into a situation of exploitation through the use of violence, deception or coercion and forced to work against their will. There are many different ways that people can be exploited either by forced labour, prostitution, domestic servitude and even marriage.
Trafficking and modern slavery in the UK
In July 2018 The Guardian ran a story on how slavery still exists in modern Britain and often in plain sight. It goes on to say that the estimated number of suspected victims of trafficking and modern slavery in Britain has risen tenfold from 13,000 in 2013, to 136,000 in 2018.
The thing that any employer should be aware of is that modern slavery can take many forms and is not only found in the more recognisable and strongly associated areas of criminal gangs, domestic servitude and prostitution. The reality is that it exists in the UK and can be found in many industries and their supply chains. It exists in farming, retail, manufacturing and hospitality.
In 2016 the owner of Kozee Sleep, a bed manufacturing company based in Dewsbury West Yorkshire, was found guilty of human trafficking. He employed large numbers of Hungarian men as a slave workforce, some were forced to work up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week for as little as £10 a day. They were also forced to live in squalid conditions. Kozee Sleep supplied well known brands including Next, Dunelm and John Lewis.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015
The Act, requires commercial organisations carrying on business in the UK with a total annual global turnover of £36 million or more to produce a slavery and human trafficking statement for each financial year. The statement must be published on the company’s website and a link to the statement must be in a prominent place on the home page.
Smaller businesses may find that they are asked by organisations (who have to provide a statement) for which they supply goods or services that they are then asked to provide a statement or policy setting out their approach to tackling modern slavery. Consequently, some smaller businesses are providing a voluntary statement, which is useful in providing transparency and information on supply chains and provides larger organisations with assurance and the necessary checks they need to make in their supply chains.
What else can organisations do to tackle the issue of modern slavery and trafficking in the UK?
The vast majority of employers would not dream of exploiting workers either directly or indirectly, let alone being involved in trafficking and modern slavery. Employers have a legal and moral duty to ensure that we rid supply chains of slavery and trafficking. This includes reporting it when you see it.
With the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and wide reporting in the media there has been growing public awareness of the possibility of slavery which has resulted in organisations under much scrutiny to rid workplaces of modern slavery. The Act has put the onus on companies to take responsibility and rid slavery from their supply chain. Whilst most of the reported cases of human trafficking are people brought in to the UK from other countries they are not the only vulnerable people being exploited.
It has been reported that the UK has more than 14 million people living in poverty, which can make them increasingly vulnerable to unscrupulous employers and easier to exploit. No organisation wants to be seen by the public as exploitative. Do you expect your employees to use their own vehicle, pay for clothing, equipment or tools that they use for work? Are these at an affordable cost and a reasonable expectation for the employee to pay? Cutting corners can be tempting as can cutting costs, especially when times are difficult, but it is essential that businesses do not put themselves in a position where they are accused of exploitation.
Our increased awareness of modern slavery is a good opportunity for organisations to review their practices and policies. If you would like help to ensure you are complying with legislation and helping to eradicate trafficking and modern slavery from the workplace including your supply chains, then contact us for expert advice.