Business and human rights for global supply chains - what works?

Modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking are among the most pressing challenges in today’s global economy. According to new estimates from the International Labor Organization, 27.6 million people are in a situation of forced labor. In 86% of these cases, the exploitation happens in the private sector.

In this webinar we will explore what academic insights exist that could halt this sad trend.

Exploitative employment practices can exist at every stage of the production and manufacturing process. The often long and complex supply chains that bring us everyday items make it difficult to track whether a product has been made without slavery.

Forced labor also exists in many geographies. For years, forced labor in the construction industry in Gulf states was under the spotlight due to the preparations for the World Cup in Qatar. Today, the greatest challenge for addressing forced labor is China, where Uighur forced labor camps affect major supply chains, e.g. cotton and solar. But even in the UK, slave labor conditions affected the ready made garment production and the public interest to hold corporations accountable for such human rights abuses keeps growing.

To mark Anti-Slavery Day 2022, the University of Bath’s Centre for Business, Organisations and Society and the Geneva Center for Business and Human Rights, are hosting this webinar to explore the challenges of addressing modern slavery in supply chains and to offer potential solutions to prevent these human rights violations.

The expert speakers will consider the role of legislation, supply chain management practices, and new business models.