A new British law proposal deeming companies obliged to ensure that their chain of supply is free from slavery has been put forward. This new effort is part of a legislation proposal on modern slavery now pending in the parliament. If taken on, this would imply that large companies annually must be able to present what actions they have taken to make sure their chain of supply and production is slavery-free. This is the first legislation proposal of its kind in the world to hold companies accountable this way, regardless of the type of company.
The basis for this legislation is a report from the Salvation Army showing that the number of victims referred to them for support has increased by 62 percent.
According to Karen Bradley, British Minister for Modern Slavery and Organised Crime, the fact that there are more people trapped in human slavery today than ever before in human history is a disgrace. She argues that we are all responsible for making sure that this horrible business is stopped once and for all. Bradley now hopes that this world-leading effort will send a message to companies to act up and take responsibility.
A meeting will be held to determine the obligations of every company. This in order to ensure that the system is fair and effective.
Corporate responsibility when it comes to human trafficking is a major part of RealStars work through the Business against trafficking initiative. Procurers make use of different trades and actors in the private sector that indirectly or directly could support this type of criminal activity. The behavior of company staff during business travels is also a critical question. We see this legislation proposal as a major step in the right direction as the responsibilities of corporations are of immense importance in the fight against sex trafficking.