Did you know that an estimated 50 million people are currently exploited in modern slavery around the world? Ahead of Anti-Slavery Day 2025, the Food Network for Ethical Trade explores how businesses are making progress in identifying and preventing modern slavery.
Founded in 2010, Anti-Slavery Day was established to raise awareness of the need to eradicate all forms of modern slavery. Modern slavery continues to be prevalent across the United Kingdom – and around the world. In 2024, national statistics show that over 19,000 people were referred to the Home Office as potential victims of modern slavery. This represents the highest number since records began. And yet, the Global Slavery Index suggests that the true number of people affected by modern slavery in the UK may be closer to 120,000.
FNET fosters collaboration between food companies and supports them to improve commitment and action on human rights. This includes preventing modern slavery and upholding worker rights throughout supply chains. This Anti-Slavery Day, we wanted to appreciate some of the fantastic efforts our members have made to uphold their commitments to human rights.
These efforts include:
- a focus on responsible recruitment and better understanding risk and prevalence of issues;
- Serious issue investigation and remediation;
- Going beyond compliance to demonstrating continuous improvement; and
- engagement with rightsholders and people with lived experience.
In no particular order, we wanted to share some of the initiatives and examples of progress from our members.
Food Network for Ethical Trade member activities
Transparency on allegations and ongoing case management in Sainsbury’s Modern Slavery Statement
We are often impressed by our members’ Modern Slavery Statements and how they are improving year on year. This is particularly the case when they go above and beyond the requirements. Sainsbury’s comprehensive 2024/25 Modern Slavery Statement shares concrete information about specific cases. It details where Sainsbury’s has worked to investigate, resolve, and remediate potential allegations of modern slavery or labour exploitation.
In these case studies, Sainsbury’s shares details about allegations and incidents that have been brought to its attention. It also details the actions they have taken to resolve these and provide remediation. In one example, Sainsbury’s demonstrates how it worked collaboratively with a supplier and with workers to remediate recruitment fees that workers had paid.
In addition to the three detailed case studies, Sainsbury’s also shares a tracker of ongoing incidents. The Statement includes transparent reporting on the status of the incidents.
Throughout the Statement, Sainsbury’s sends a strong signal of its commitment to transparency and to advancing labour rights throughout its supply chain. We are happy to see that other FNET members, including Co-op, also provide transparent information about incident management in their Modern Slavery Statements.
Commitment to continuous improvement and reporting in G’s Fresh Modern Slavery Statement
Just like Sainsbury’s Modern Slavery Statement, G’s includes an impressive amount of detail in its Modern Slavery Statement. G’s includes an overview of the public commitments it made in its previous Modern Slavery Statement. The Statement also includes a tracker to show the progress that the company has made in each area since the previous statement.
Transparent reporting like this enables people to see what G’s is committing to, and the progress they are making towards achieving this. It builds confidence that G’s is prepared to uphold its commitments and be honest about any areas that have not been able to proceed as expected.
Supporting people with lived experience of modern slavery to find decent work
A really meaningful way that some FNET members support people impacted by modern slavery is via “Bright Future.” Originally established by Co-op and Causeway, the initiative is now supported by multiple FNET members. These include Co-op, Bakkavor, Greencore, Morrisons, Pilgrim’s Europe and Aldi – among other supporters.
Bright Future is a not-for-profit co-operative that supports survivors of modern slavery to find work. A charity partner will refer an individual, who will match them up to an employer to provide them with a work placement of four weeks. If the placement works out well, they will then be offered a permanent job. The approach is designed to be collaborative, and the members of Bright Future aim to “offer a supportive environment for survivors to re-enter employment.”
If you’re interested in finding out more, or you think your business could support Bright Future, please get in touch.
Highlighting specific geographic and product risks in Prince’s Modern Slavery Statement
Prince’s is both comprehensive and very specific in its Modern Slavery Statement. The Statement highlights specific products and geographies that are high risk. This transparency and level of detail provide confidence in the risk mapping and analysis that they have conducted. This specificity shows that Prince’s is pragmatic and determined in its approach to addressing risks.
Prince’s also details a human rights impact assessment that they have conducted on Argentinian pulses. In this, Prince’s demonstrate a “beyond audit” approach. With this approach, the company pushes further to address risks throughout their supply chains. Impressively, Prince’s also outlines an intent to develop further human rights impact assessments. The focus for this would be on raw materials, where the supply chains have not received a deep dive analysis yet.
What are our members doing for Anti-Slavery Day?
We’ve pulled together just a few of the things that our members are doing for Anti-Slavery Day, including collaborating with other multi-stakeholder initiatives, such as Stronger Together.
- Keelings will deliver an in-depth modern slavery and exploitation training to operational managers, team leaders and supervisors. All workers will be trained on modern slavery during the induction. Additionally, Keelings will deliver an in-depth interactive training session, to remind people of the prevalence and importance of this issue.
- Many of our members are heavily engaged with Stronger Together. This year, Stronger Together has shared a “media pack” to spread the word about Anti-Slavery Day this year.
- Stronger Together is also hosting an event at the Co-op headquarters in Manchester this year. The event, entitled “Anti-Slavery Week 2025: We all have a role to play”, is open to the public.
- Co-op and Stronger Together played a key role in re-launching the Greater Manchester Modern Slavery Business Network, along with other local businesses, civil society, academic institutions and local authorities in June and are hosting the second meeting at their Support Centre during Anti-Slavery Week. Read more about the Network’s activity here.
By being a part of the Food Network for Ethical Trade, our members are able to come together to learn from their peers about best practices. They also learn about practical measures to put in place to both prevent and respond to cases where people have been exploited in slavery.
So what can you do to help prevent modern slavery?
If you work in a business and you’re not sure what you can do to prevent modern slavery. Here are some practical actions you can take:
- Push for training within your company. These trainings can make sure that everyone in the organisation understands the risks.
- Make sure your company’s recruitment and procurement practices are ethical and transparent.
- Learn to “spot the signs” of modern slavery and develop a response plan. Make sure your company is prepared to listen to, and believe, survivors.
- Join a collaborative network, such as FNET, to learn from peers about how to prevent the risks of modern slavery in your operations and supply chains.
- If you suspect that someone may be being exploited in slavery, you should call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700.
- Consider partnering with a civil society organisation or providing some kind of “in-kind” support.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the Food Network for Ethical Trade and how we might be able to help your company, please click here to find out more.
