NGOs press government for further action on slavery
A group of NGOs has called for the government to ensure its new pledges on modern slavery are enacted in full throughout – and beyond – the coronavirus crisis.
In a joint response to the government’s statement on tackling modern slavery in public sector supply chains, the 10 organisations also called for the Modern Slavery Act, which has been in force since 2015, should be updated to extend legal requirements to all public sector bodies.
“Now, more than ever, we are seeing that workers in precarious jobs bear the worst impacts of a crisis and are more vulnerable to more extreme forms of exploitation,” the organisations said in the letter, dated 8 April.
“Government must now follow through with action to protect the lives of exploited workers and those at risk of exploitation. The highest international labour standards should be upheld both during and post- the COVID-19 crisis.”
The government published a statement on 26 March explaining its approach to reducing or cutting out slavery in its own supply chains. It already requires UK-based companies to do the same.
“The government has rightly recognised that steps must be taken to ensure that taxpayers’ money does not inadvertently fund modern slavery,” the organisations said.
The letter highlighted three areas that were “particularly welcome” in the government’s approach: details of highest risk services, an acknowledgement of the “impact of irresponsible purchasing practices”, and a pledge to work on responsible sourcing of ICT hardware.
However, it called for further specific actions to go “beyond reporting requirements” in an effort to “strengthen governance systems” once the coronavirus crisis has passed.
These included the introduction of a legal requirement forcing companies and public sector bodies to conduct “human rights and environmental due diligence”, to reduce the likelihood of issues arising after mandates are awarded, and to “help meet the UK’s ambition to be a world leader” in responsible business practices.
The government’s statement committed departments to map their highest-risk supply chains, including timely examples of concerns, such as the supply of rubber from Malaysia – used in rubber gloves.
The NGOs welcomed the move but urged the government to go further and publish all assessments, as well as “document specific instances” where issues or risks have been addressed within their supply chains.
Current procurement practices are dominated by the requirement for buyers to get value for money, but the government recognised in its statement that this and other factors “can lead suppliers to cut corners on social and environmental standards”.
“Government must ensure that this requirement does not constrain public sector organisations’ efforts to introduce and maintain responsible purchasing practices,” the letter said. “We look forward to more details on how the government approaches ‘social value procurement arrangements’ as described in the statement.”
Public sector bodies should also take steps to exclude from tenders any bidders that do not comply with the Modern Slavery Act, the organisations said.
The letter also called for trade unions and collective bargaining to be brought to “the forefront of anti-slavery efforts”, following the government’s pledge to “introduce a worker-centred approach to due diligence”.
The organisations urged the government to “ensure a truly cohesive cross-departmental approach” to compliance and enforcement of the measures.
“Government should be cognisant of abusive labour practices that contribute to more extreme forms of exploitation, such as underpayment of wages and reluctance of companies to recognise freedom of association,” the NGOs said.
“Modern slavery occurs at the sharp end of a continuum of exploitation, and the COVID-19 pandemic will likely increase many workers’ vulnerability to worsening conditions, including offences that fall under the [Modern Slavery] Act.”
The letter also highlighted immigration policy, as sectors identified by the government as high risk – including cleaning and catering – were often mostly staffed by migrant workers “with varying legal status”.
“[W]e strongly emphasise that modern slavery risks should not be exacerbated by immigration policy and enforcement,” the letter said.
“Poorly designed immigration policy creates vulnerability in workers. Labour inspection and police work conducted in conjunction with immigration enforcement can lead to action against migrant workers, curtailing their ability to seek support for abuse or exploitation.”
The organisations that signed the letter were: CORE Coalition, Amnesty International UK, Anti-Slavery International, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, Christian Aid, Environmental Justice Foundation, Focus on Labour Exploitation, Traidcraft Exchange, Walk Free, and Unison.
A copy of the letter can be accessed here.
Last Updated: 22 April 2020