How Supply Chain Leaders can end Modern Slavery by 2030
With 50 million people currently trapped in modern slavery, the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking warns that international businesses must face a hard truth: supply chains are a key site of exploitation and unless companies take concrete steps to act, they remain part of the problem.
In a major new report launched at the United Nations, the Commission calls on businesses to overhaul procurement systems, enforce ethical labour practices and play a direct role in ending human trafficking.
The report makes clear that ending modern slavery by 2030, a target set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, depends on business leaders stepping up.
Global supply chains, especially those spanning low-wage economies and subcontracted manufacturing, are flagged as high-risk environments where forced labour thrives. From the garment industry to electronics and agriculture, supply chains allow trafficking to remain hidden, operating in plain sight.
Alan Jope, former Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, puts it plainly: “Modern slavery poses uncomfortable truths for businesses and individuals.
"However, we must make the choice to act – to better protect those who are being exploited for monetary gain and fight these devastating human rights abuses.
“Companies must begin to examine their supply chains for modern slavery as well as environmental impact – a sub-contractor abusing the environment may also be abusing their workers.”
The Global Commission calls on all businesses, regardless of size or sector, to take responsibility for every layer of their production process. This includes conducting risk assessments, increasing transparency and sharing data to trace forced labour across borders.
While progress has been made in some industries, the report says many companies remain unaware or unwilling to confront the issue.
Procurement reforms and legal accountability
At the government level, the report urges action on public procurement – the rules and processes that determine how states buy goods and services.
The Commission argues that without proper safeguards, governments may be unknowingly complicit in funding exploitation through their supply chains.
the report states: “Member States should ensure that their public procurement rules include both the need to ensure good value and the need to recognise international obligations to end slavery and trafficking. Those making procurement decisions should be trained in ensuring that there is no forced labour in relevant supply chains."
This recommendation goes beyond rhetoric. It calls for enforceable regulation, not voluntary guidelines and demands legal alignment around a single definition of modern slavery to help identify breaches. Without legal clarity, enforcement is weak and accountability is patchy.
John Schultz, Chief Operating Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, reinforces this message: “We’ve spent the last several years strengthening our approach to human rights, shining a brighter light on modern slavery and urging global organisations to act. And while I’m proud of our progress, we know there’s still a long, difficult road ahead.
“The Global Commission’s report calls us to act now. It doesn’t just highlight the issue, but also gives us a roadmap: clear, achievable steps every business can take, starting with a commitment to collect and share data and insights.”
By collecting data and publicly disclosing supply chain information, businesses can detect where forced labour risks arise and act before harm occurs.
The Commission stresses that financial profit cannot continue to come at the cost of human freedom.
From awareness to action: systems change needed
At the core of the report is a Prevention Framework developed to help identify root causes and apply early interventions.
Inspired by a model used to prevent genocide, the framework enables businesses and governments to spot the warning signs of exploitation, both within workplaces and across supplier networks.
The Commission also encourages businesses to listen to survivor voices.
Nasreen Sheikh, a survivor of modern slavery turned social entrepreneur, highlights the real cost of inaction: “Faceless casualties are generated every day through the purchasing decisions of unconscious consumption, and the blind eyes of a global economic system.”
The report’s message is unambiguous: tackling modern slavery in supply chains is no longer a matter of reputation management or corporate social responsibility. It is a core operational and ethical issue that requires leadership, transparency and the willingness to change how goods are produced and sourced.
Baroness Theresa May, Chair of the Commission and former UK Prime Minister, issues a stark reminder: “Every one of those 50 million victims has talents, interests, hopes and desires that have been stripped from them.
"They deserve to live their lives, just like anyone else, and if we are to give them back their freedom, and end this heinous crime, we need to act now.”
The Commission urges companies to examine the entire chain of production, including indirect suppliers and recruitment agencies, and to establish systems to prevent exploitation before it starts.
Partnerships with civil society groups, survivor-led organisations and frontline labour monitors are identified as essential for accurate oversight and impact.
As long as global supply chains continue to function without full transparency and regulation, modern slavery will remain embedded in the goods we consume.
The Global Commission’s report aims to change that, offering a path for businesses to lead a coordinated, ethical response and help meet the 2030 goal.
Explore the latest edition of Supply Chain Digital Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE.
Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today.
Supply Chain Digital is a BizClik brand.