Updates & Resources
Modern Slavery Act Committee: UK’s response to modern slavery has not kept up with the advances of other nations
The Modern Slavery Act Committee summarises that international best practice has moved beyond requiring transparency to requiring companies to perform due diligence on their supply chains, and take action to eradicate modern slavery in their supply chains.
Lola Young's Private Members Bill has second reading
Lola Young's Private Members Bill has it's second reading in the House of Lords. Anti-Slavery International explains why such ground-breaking legislation is urgently needed in the UK.
Private Members’ Bill in the House of Lords
In the Parliamentary session 2023-2024, Baroness Lola Young introduced a Private Members Bill in the House of Lords. The “Commercial Organisations and Public Authorities Duty (Human Rights and Environment) Bill” had its first reading on 28 November 2023 and its second reading on 10 May 2024 before collapsing due to the 2024 election.
Corporate Justice Coalition: Time for change – MPs from across parties turn out for CJC event
At the end of May, CJC joined the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights to host the event “Levelling the playing field for UK companies: Mandatory supply chain due diligence to protect human rights and the environment” in Parliament.
UK Government opens consultation on “world-leading” due diligence law
The UK's new Environment Act 2021 (the "Environment Act") introduces a prohibition on the use of "forest risk commodities" in UK commercial activities, unless those commodities have been produced in compliance with local laws. It also introduces due diligence and reporting obligations in relation to "forest risk commodities".
Global Resource Initiative recommends the introduction of mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence
The Global Resource Initiative is a government-convened task force which looked at measures to tackle deforestation and land conversation for global supply chains to have a positive impact on people and planet. It recommended the introduction of mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence for agricultural and forestry commodities with scope to extend it in the future. It was recommended that the financial sector should be covered by a similiar obligation.
Human Rights and Business 2017: Promoting responsibility and ensuring accountability
Report by the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the UK’s commitment to human rights.