‘For the English to see’ or effective change? How supply chains are shaped by laws and regulations, and what that means for the exposure of modern slavery

Abstract

'For the English to see' or effective change?-How supply chains are shaped by laws and regulations and what that means for modern slavery exposure Global supply chains cross and connect judicial systems, providing regulatory and legal frameworks in which supply chains operate. In this article we are investigating the impact of modern slavery laws and other parts of the legal framework surrounding Brazilian-UK beef and timber supply chains and how they interact with supply chain and market characteristics. We start with outlining the current challenges of modern slavery to supply chain management and then explain the history and application of current legal frameworks in which these supply chains operate. We then connect the legal frameworks to supply chain characteristics and dynamics and explain current business practices along the use of two case studies of market-leading businesses. This connection results in a discussion of the modern slavery exposure of the Brazilian-UK beef and timber supply chains. We provide detailed contextual information of the Brazilian-UK beef and timber supply chains and their commercial dynamics. The heterogeneity of these two agricultural supply chains enables a comparison and extraction of relevant factors that impact modern slavery exposure. We also portray mechanisms in place by leading corporations to prevent modern slavery and discuss the limitations of corporate supply chain policing in the context of their commercial realities.