Collaboration needed to uncover hidden slavery

Anna Scott

Slavery may have been abolished in 1833, but the exploitation of labour remains a pressing problem, both in the UK and abroad.

Estimates from October last year put the number of people in modern slavery around the world at 29.8 million, with 4,200 modern slaves in the UK.

In a country with a considerable amount of employment regulation it seems unthinkable that so many individuals could still be exploited, but people are still forced to work through trafficking, debt bondage, forced marriage, or they could be subject to intimidation by controlling individuals or gangs.

Some sectors are particularly vulnerable, such as construction, logistics, hospitality, cleaning and agriculture – in other words, those with a predominance of migrant workers.

In recognition of this growing problem, late last year the Stronger Together Network was launched, formed by a number of agencies and employers focused on eradicating modern day slavery, including the British Retail Consortium and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority. Some of the UK’s largest supermarket chains, including the Co-operative Food, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose, are also engaged in a cross-sector effort to reduce human trafficking and forced labour.

The network provides online resources to recruiters and UK employers – including best practice guidance, multi-language workplace posters and template procedures – to help them identify, tackle and deter hidden third party worker exploitation in their supply chains. Stronger Together also runs workshops.

The recruitment sector – particularly temporary staffing organisations – should be at the forefront of the campaign to tackle this hidden problem. They have the knowledge of candidates, employers and sectors more generally to enable them to have a big picture and even perhaps spot anything that looks remiss.

Indeed, the Association of Labour Providers is a development partner of Stronger Together. And just last week, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation became a supporting partner. According to chief executive Kevin Green, the REC “cannot lose sight of the importance of combatting the criminal”.

If agencies can help identify and eradicate hidden exploitation they need to know the risks out there in their sectors of operation. But they are just part of the process. A collaborative approach with employers is vital to deal with this growing problem.