What Can HR Executives Do About Modern Slavery?

Snejina Michailova is a Professor of International Business at the University of Auckland Business School in New Zealand.

There is a puzzle in the corporate world these days – there are plenty of stories in the media about modern slavery, yet many companies often brush off the topic. “Modern slavery? Not the case in our company,” say corporate leaders.

But how sure are you? Even if it’s not happening in your own operations, how do you know your suppliers aren’t using modern slavery practices, like false contracts, withholding wages, or forcing labour with violence?

The truth is, modern slavery is happening in many countries and many sectors. The Global Slavery Index estimates that 49.6 million people work in modern slavery every day. Walk Free, an international human rights group dedicated to eradicating modern slavery, calculates that 1 in 4 victims are children, and more than half are women and girls.

In companies that do tackle modern slavery, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and supply chain executives have been the main actors. Partially, that makes sense. Eradicating modern slavery certainly helps companies meet their social responsibilities, and supply chain professionals are well positioned to roll out certification programs that address slavery within suppliers. But these efforts won’t be as successful without human resource (HR) professionals involved, too.

HR is about people. HR practitioners understand ethical hiring and contracts, and know the relevant laws. They are trained to develop informed policies for employee treatment and are skilled at implementing training. Their expertise is critical in corporate action on modern slavery.

In this blog, you’ll learn what modern slavery is, where it might exist in your company, and how HR professionals can start addressing it.

I hope this blog will:

1. Help corporate executives understand why it’s critical to address modern slavery (even if your region doesn’t legally require it).

2. Motivate more HR professionals to get involved in fighting modern slavery.

What and Where Is Modern Slavery?

There is nothing ‘modern’ about ‘modern slavery.’ ‘Modern’ indicates something advanced and progressive. When combined with ‘slavery,’ it refers to current practices for exploiting people for business and/or commercial gain. Sometimes, the exploitation is outright and brutal; other times, it is rather refined and hidden. But it is always extreme. It is also known as new slavery, modern-day slavery, contemporary slavery, or forced labour.

In a recent NBS article ^[1], I outlined the key characteristics of modern slavery. In essence, it means working in a highly exploitative employment relationship, under inhumane conditions, and without the freedom to exercise your rights.

Modern slavery can be found in mega factories and small firms. It has been traced on land, underground, and at sea. It breeds in construction, farming, fishing, and mining, as well as the fashion, jewellery, automobile, and electronics industries. It can stay domestic; it can also travel across borders.

According to the World Population Review ^[2], in 2024 modern slavery was practiced in 167 countries. North Korea, Eritrea, and Mauritania rank highest in terms of enslaved people per capita, but it’s found globally, including in advanced economies. There have been reports of forced labour in:

• New Zealand and Italy’s agricultural industries.
• The UK’s nail bars and construction sector.
• Greek strawberry fields.
• Several fashion and luxury brands across the world.
• The brick kilns of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
• The electronics industry of Malaysia.

The list can go on and on.

Why Is Modern Slavery on the Rise?

Why are we confronted with such a grim trend? Especially when there has been so much recent talk about a more just and sustainable future, including UN Sustainable Development Goal 8 being “decent work for all,” and Target 8.7 of that goal being to “end modern slavery”?  

Slavery happens because it can be extremely profitable. According to the International Labour Organisation (2024)^[3], an estimated USD 236 billion is generated annually from slavery. Substantial profits make slavery an attractive business (with its own business models!), despite its injustice and inhumanity.

What Stops HR Leaders from Tackling Modern Slavery?

HR is all about managing the relationship between a company and its employees. Slavery is a type of employment relationship, making it inherently an HR issue. In reality, however, HR executives often fail to consider slavery. That happens for two reasons.

1. Lack of Awareness

Often, HR executives simply don’t know modern slavery exists, especially those who work in countries without antislavery legislation. Even in jurisdictions where such laws do exist (for example, California, the U.K., France, Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada), most HR execs assume that slavery isn’t relevant in their company.

2. Job Description Omission

Identifying and fighting modern slavery also isn’t part of most HR professionals’ job description. As a result, modern slavery doesn’t get the focus of HR professionals. Despite the relevant skills they have, it’s rare to see HR staff working alongside their CSR or supply chain colleagues to implement anti-slavery strategies.

How Can HR Executives Fight Modern Slavery?

Below are five recommendations for HR professionals wanting to take action on modern slavery.

1. Learn the red flags.

Red flags are the visible indicators that employees may be in forced employment and exploited. The International Labour Organisation Indicators of Forced Labour are a great reference. The document describes 11 forms of forced labour, with examples of each. (Plus, the document is free and only 26 pages!)

Many NGOs and advocacy platforms also offer free online resources explaining the forced labour warning signs. An example is this webpage by Unseen UK, which describes visual indicators of specific types of slavery. Review these indicators and consider which are most relevant to your industry.

Remember, forced labour is usually hidden. Share the potential warning signs and indicators with your colleagues, as they may be exposed to red flags that you are not. Keep a copy of these red flags visible or readily accessible.

2. Get specialized training.

HR executives can seek assistance from organizations that offer modern slavery training for companies. RightsDD is one training organization that I know of; they offer a free, 10-minute modern slavery course, in addition to many others. If you’d like to create training that you can share with your colleagues and suppliers, you could also consider Slave-Free Alliances’ ‘Train the Trainer’ course.

There are also nearly 3,000 other antislavery organizations. Check the reviews, consider the scale at which you want to deploy your modern slavery efforts, and select the option that suits you best. Your government may even have published recommendations on locally relevant trainings, as the UK government^[4] has. 

3. Get senior leadership support.

Support from company leaders is a must. Without the close and continuous involvement of senior management, there will be no tangible changes. Senior leadership can dedicate staff time and money to the cause, and motivate collaboration between different corporate units, such as HR, CSR, and procurement. These collaborations are critical. Discussions and solutions must cut across the company, not be isolated in a department, no matter how important that department is. 

4. Learn from other companies.

Many companies are doing great work combatting modern slavery. They are easy to find if one searches for them. Coca-Cola Co., for instance, has been sharing what they do for quite some time; it doesn’t want to fight the battle alone. The company has a designated Human Rights Governance program that closely relates to the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Network for Business Sustainability also shared a podcast describing how Marshalls PLC, a natural stone and concrete manufacturer, is addressing slavery in their own supply chain.

If you’d like to learn from companies in your sector or region, start by searching on Google or ChatGPT. If you’re curious if a specific company is actively tackling forced labour, see whether it has published a ‘modern slavery statement’ or equivalent. Even better, see if the statement differs year-to-year. An evolving statement is a good indication that the company is active and learning.

Don’t be shy about reaching out to these companies, either. Many will be open to sharing their experience, or even collaborating. Together, they (and you!) can achieve far more than acting as single players.

5. Get researchers involved.

HR scholars can help, too. About 20 years ago, management scholarship was in denial^[5] of modern slavery. Not any longer. There’s a movement, although somewhat slow, in addressing the evil and waking up to the need to educate students and the public about modern slavery.

Investigate your local universities. See whether they have forced labour or modern slavery groups (e.g., University of Nottingham’s Rights Lab, Monash University’s Trafficking and Slavery Research Group, St Mary’s University’s Bakhita Centre for Research on Slavery, Exploitation and Abuse). Usually, these academic groups are keen to support. Don’t be shy to send them your questions.

Even if universities don’t have specialized forced labour research groups, there may be scholars within the school who research the topic. Watch for researchers sharing their thoughts via webinars and in media publications like The Conversation. You can find the email addresses of those researchers on their university’s website.

HR Should Be Fighting Modern Slavery

I wrote this blog out of concern that companies may prefer to wait for their government to insert laws, rules, and regulations instructing them to combat modern slavery, rather than being proactive players in this battle. A related concern is that HR executives may prefer a ‘safer’ position outside of the boardroom and not at the decision-making table. I wanted to show that this would be a serious mistake. Not only should HR executives be involved, but they are also well-positioned to lead the way. HR stands for Human Resources. It also stands for Human Rights.

About the Author

Snejina Michailova (Ph.D. from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark) is a Professor of International Business at the University of Auckland Business School, New Zealand. She researches people- and knowledge-related issues in multinational corporations. She has published over 100 articles, some of which have appeared in the prime journals in international business, management, and knowledge management. She has also co-edited several books on HRM, HRM theories, cross-cultural management, women in international management, knowledge governance, and fieldwork. She has served in various editorial roles and has received numerous international research awards. She is currently the President of the Australia and New Zealand International Business Academy. She also serves as Associate Dean (Research) in her Business School.

Additional Resources

• Why Modern Slavery Thrives in Multinational Corporations’ Global Value Chains, Christina Stringer, Snejina Michailova: This research paper describes three factors that affect the prevalence of slavery in global value chains.

• Accounting for Slavery, Caitlin Rosenthal: This book explores the connection between slavery and profit.

• Countries that Still Have Slavery, World Population Review: This website shows the per capital prevalence of slavery by country.

• Fight Slavery in Your Supply Chain, Snejina Michailova: This article describes factors that increase the risk of slavery, and shows how one company (Marshalls PLC) is tackling slavery and improving work conditions more generally.