PA 254/18
Businesses across Nottinghamshire are being invited to a free workshop to learn more about modern slavery and what their responsibilities are as an employer, supplier and customer.
The 2017 Modern Slavery Act placed a requirement on businesses with a turnover of more than £36 million to publish a transparency in supply chains (TISC) statement.
However research has shown that responsibility for checking for exploitation is often being passed to suppliers, frequently SMEs, who have received minimal guidance and advice.
Now, the Rights Lab, a University of Nottingham research team focused on ending modern slavery, is inviting local business leaders from small and medium-sized businesses across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to attend a free half-day workshop on modern slavery.
‘Modern Slavery: Everyone’s Business’ – will be taking place at the Crowne Plaza Nottingham on Tuesday 11 December from 9am-1pm and is free to attend.
The aim of the workshop is to help SMEs understand how modern slavery affects them in their business and the supply chains in which they operate.
The event will introduce business leaders to the Modern Slavery Act, specifically Section 54 on Transparency in Supply Chains, and help them to understand their responsibilities as an employer, supplier and customer.
Dr Alison Gardner, Assistant Professor of Local Government and Anti-Slavery Policy and Associate Director of the Rights Lab, and organiser of the event, said: “We want to underpin our work towards a slavery-free Nottinghamshire with a local economy that is resilient against slavery and exploitation. Smaller businesses play a significant role in making that aspiration a reality.
“We want to introduce businesses to simple actions they can take to ensure they are complying with the legislation and their responsibilities as an employer. We also want to let local business leaders see that there really is a good business case for tackling modern slavery in their supply chains.”
For more information or to register to attend the free workshop, visit the website.
As part of the project to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, the team at the Rights Lab have also launched a survey to explore Nottinghamshire businesses’ knowledge of modern slavery and attitudes towards local antislavery initiatives to understand the training and resources that they need to tackle slavery.
If you are interested in taking part in the survey, it can be found here.