Modern slavery in supply chains

Abstract

Modern slavery is a global problem connected to governments, businesses, and individuals and occurs in almost every corner of the world. This chapter explores how we contemporarily define modern slavery and why it continues to this day, and focuses on the preponderance of forced labor in global supply chains. While modern slavery has only recently become prominent in public debate, exploitative labor practices have developed persistently over time and continue to do so by cleverly adapting to social and economic changes. Regular revelations about modern slavery - from the seafood sector to palm oil production to construction workers - show that this practice can reach into every aspect of a company’s operations and supply chains, as well as into consumers’ lives through our daily consumption. Attempts to regulate global supply chains to curb modern slavery include legislative efforts to mandate corporate social disclosures and/or to link slavery with trade import bans. To date, such regulatory initiatives have had a limited impact in curbing the growth of modern slavery and the question remains as to what is a “smart mix” of regulatory tools that will effectively address this issue.