Hope for Justice and Slave-Free Alliance are calling for the UK Government to consider the human impacts of introducing new legislation to tackle forced labour in supply chains.
Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) concluded in its latest report (published yesterday) that the UK is falling behind other international markets, such as the U.S. and the E.U., in its approach. They state that the country is at risk of ‘becoming a dumping ground for goods made using forced labour’. MPs and peers said: “The overwhelming evidence we received…was clear: the UK’s domestic law framework is currently inadequate to address forced labour in UK supply chains.”
One of the key recommendations made by the cross-party group is for the Government to introduce import bans or restrictions. These would ultimately prevent or limit goods linked to forced labour from entering the UK, or place limitations on goods entering the country. They also call for new legislation to establish corporate responsibility, including mandatory due diligence and a “duty to prevent” for companies that do not take adequate steps to prevent forced labour in their supply chains.
Hope for Justice and Slave-Free Alliance welcome the report, its findings and recommendations, which offer some of the most comprehensive insights and proposals for responding to the issue of forced labour in supply chains.
However, we urge the Government to take a human-centred approach, ensuring that it puts workers, victims and survivors at the heart of its response.
‘We are fast losing the race’ without new legislation
Rachel Hartley, Consultancy Director at Slave-Free Alliance, said: “We are really pleased to see such strong findings and powerful recommendations in the committee report, to advance the UK’s approach to responding to forced labour in supply chains. This report is supportive of the improvements that Slave-Free Alliance want to see in the UK. It reinforces that we have outgrown the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which was ground-breaking at the time but has now been superseded by other legislation. We are fast losing the race if we continue in this strain. It serves as a reminder that, without new legislation, we will fall behind.”
The human impact of import bans
Slave-Free Alliance also called on the UK Government to ensure that they do not overlook the human impact if they consider imposing import bans.
Rachel Hartley said: “The JCHR’s report is one of the most comprehensive we have seen. However, we are concerned about the gaps in the report, particularly in the section that looks at import bans. These are presented as an effective tool, but the report does not acknowledge the potential impact on workers as a result of supply chain disruption caused by an import ban. If a business can no longer source from a supplier due to banned products, workers may pay the highest price in lost wages or job losses. Also, where companies facing bans have re-sourced, the report offers no comment on responsible sourcing, exit strategies, or how to mitigate unintended consequences. If import bans are to be introduced in the UK, the Government must be very considered in its approach to ensure vulnerable supply chain workers do not suffer as a result.”
Slave-Free Alliance (SFA) takes a people-centred approach and recognises that any business change has a human impact. SFA speaks about the impact of legislation to its business members, which includes 17 of the UK’s FTSE100 companies.
The JCHR states that the UK currently “imports a significant volume of goods (over U.S. $26 billion worth) from five sectors at high risk of exposure to forced labour.”
Hope for Justice called on the Government to ensure that if import bans are imposed, they consider the support and assistance for the people who are being exploited. Import bans will impact business supply chains internationally but they will also affect British workers and citizens, such as fruit pickers. It is vital that we protect those individuals. Bans may also impact people working in legitimate parts of a supply chain, so the Government must consider this as part of its response.
The need for mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence (mHRDD)
In a statement to the committee as part of the inquiry, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Eleanor Lyons, said: “I welcome the committee’s focus on this area. It is critical. We need the Government to be encouraged to take clear leadership in this space and, at a bare minimum, introduce mandatory human rights due diligence legislation. Any solutions need to include survivors’ voices and worker remediation as part of that package. I would welcome survivor advisory panels being established as part of the policy-making legislative framework.”
Slave-Free Alliance is already engaging with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) on mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence (mHRDD) legislation. The Commissioner’s Office is currently consulting with business leaders and policy makers to develop a mHRDD proposal for the Government. Some of SFA’s business members have received a letter from the IASC’s office inviting them to participate in the consultation.
A cross-government strategy is vital
Some of the key recommendations made by the JCHR are to strengthen existing laws around transparency, extend the Transparency in Supply Chains (TISC) reporting duty to public organisations, and introduce mHRDD. Hope for Justice believes that a cross-government approach is needed to bring about these changes.
Euan Fraser, Senior Policy and Research Advisor, said: “The recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Human Rights are really strong and align with several of Hope for Justice’s priorities. The findings of this report demonstrate the importance of a cross-government strategy, involving the Department for Business and Trade, to ensure a holistic approach to tackling modern slavery in the UK and around the world.
“It is also imperative that we ensure that the people who are being exploited are at the heart of the response. It is vital that they have access to the support they require and that we work with them in the development of policy to continually improve our approach and to prevent further harm or re-exploitation.”
You can download the full report here: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt5901/jtselect/jtrights/633/report.html.
Key findings of the report include:
- Evidence that goods produced or partially produced with forced labour are still entering the UK, which contradicts Government commitments.
- Current legislation (MSA) is voluntary, fragmented, poorly enforced, and fails to prevent goods with forced labour from reaching consumers.
- Significant gaps in the UK’s approach against international best practice. We’ve ratified relevant treaties, but these are unenforceable for supply chains outside the UK. The EU and the U.S. are advancing stronger measures, leaving the UK behind and increasingly at risk of becoming a ‘dumping ground’ for goods made using forced labour.
- Voluntary due diligence is inefficient – mHRDD legislation is needed. The report states that businesses, NGOs and anti-slavery authorities are calling out for this legislation with SME provisions.
- Import bans are regarded as effective tools, especially in the case of state-imposed forced labour. The report frames this in an interesting way as effective in focusing corporate attention rather than disclosure requirements because of the risk of financial loss, but it fails to address the potential impact on workers in the supply chain as a result of import bans, which could be detrimental and result in a loss of work and/or wages.
- Proceeds of Crime Act is an existing law that could be used to address forced labour in supply chains.
- UK trade deals include forced labour clauses, but lack implementation, assessment, and enforcement. The Procurement Act 2023 and Energy Act 2025 include modern slavery measures, but are inadequate in addressing green-tech supply chain risks.
- Access to remedy/redress – civil cases are rare, expensive, and complex. There’s no dedicated civil route for survivors, unlike in other jurisdictions
The report also sets out the following recommendations:
- Legislate a duty to prevent forced labour – mHRDD
- Introduce import bans on goods associated with forced labour
- Introduce liability frameworks
- Embed human rights clauses in trade agreements and assess impacts
- Strengthen public procurement policies
- Enhance enforcement by using existing criminal asset recovery laws and formalise exclusion regimes
- Facilitate access to remedy/redress and streamline civil remedies for survivors
