The Bishop of Derby, The Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, is a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee who published the report and subsequent draft Modern Slavery Bill. Following the launch of the Altius Modern Day Slavery Report, The Reverend kindly offered a foreword for the Report:
“Modern Slavery is alive and expanding. In times of tight margins, extreme poverty, routes for migration and political/religious instability, there are many vulnerable people who are easily exploited. The result is forced labour, sex slavery, organised begging, forced marriage and a trade in organs.
Modern Slavery is the second most profitable crime in the world, after drugs. It operates through highly successful business models. As so many of our brothers and sisters are brutalised and oppressed in these ways, there are a number of key responses. One is that of legislation and combatting crime. The United Kingdom passed important legislation in 2015 to enable response.
The legislation also recognised the important role of businesses – to ensure that they are not using slave labour, especially in supply chains and through agency workers. As public awareness and horror increases, investors and consumers are becoming more concerned that the businesses they support are operating good practices.
Further, criminal business takes a huge share out of the market and this needs to be isolated and stopped.
This report is a model of how businesses can be encouraged to recognise the realities of the challenge of Modern Slavery, and to identify areas for improvement and the development of good practice. Such responses will mitigate risk, improve standards and help to eliminate the presence of slavery in supply chains.
I commend this project warmly.”
The introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015 has made UK businesses sit up and take notice of their supply chain more than they have ever done before. Following an extensive research period, the Modern Day Slavery Survey Report compiles the key findings as highlighted by survey respondents. Download your copy of the report today.
