“Modern slavery laws in the UK and Australia are failing and need urgent reform”

The UK and Australia were once seen as global leaders in combating modern slavery, with their Modern Slavery Acts introduced in 2015 and 2018. Nearly a decade later, these laws have proven insufficient in addressing the issue.

Strides towards strengthening corporate accountability are being taken across Europe.

Thailand has announced the drafting of a new law that will require businesses to conduct human rights and environmental due diligence in their supply chains. Meanwhile, Australia and the UK are falling behind.

Relying on voluntary transparency is no longer enough. Legally enforceable due diligence is needed to drive real change…

One of the most alarming findings in Walk Free and Wikirates Beyond Compliance project is that most companies are not even meeting the minimum reporting requirements set out in the Modern Slavery Acts.

Data from the project, which has been analysing MSA statements since 2016, highlights several areas of concern. These include how:

• Only 20% of UK modern slavery statements have met the minimum reporting requirements.
  • In Australia, compliance is slightly higher at 36%, but still falls well short of what is needed.
  • Australian companies consistently outperform UK companies on reporting metrics, largely due to stricter legal requirements and clearer government guidance…