Modern slavery in supply chains: a systematic literature review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Modern slavery is a complex and challenging phenomenon that may hinder the sustainable development of the global supply chain. However, there is no existing academic review on modern slavery in supply chains. This study conducts a systematic literature review to synthesise this body of literature. We searched keywords in the Scopus database and identified 44 articles published between 2013 and 2022 to identify critical themes and propose a conceptual framework capturing the relationships among the identified themes. Through our analysis, three themes of modern slavery in supply chains were identified: antecedents (analyzed from regulatory, organisational, and social perspectives); practices (e.g. practices to mitigate modern slavery in supply chains); and outcomes (e.g. business compliance). We conclude by proposing a research agenda to inform future research.