Protecting Rights. Ending Corporate Abuse

Modern slavery and labour rights

Joint Statement Calls on Government for Central Modern Slavery Registry

CORE and 35 other organisations, including NGOs Anti-Slavery International, Unicef and Oxfam, Supermarkets Tesco and the Co-op, and Unions the TUC and Unison have signed a joint statement published by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner calling on the Government to establish a central modern slavery registry. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act requires businesses with...

UK Modern Slavery Act Sets Example for Global Fight Against Exploitative Labour Practices – But Its Own Failings Must Be Addressed

This month, the Australian Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade published the findings from its inquiry into introducing a Modern Slavery Act, ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’, following an Australian government consultation paper containing a proposed model for the Act, released last summer. In its preamble, the inquiry report pays homage to the...

Interaction of Law and Supply Chain Management in Cross-Judicial Supply Chains

CORE, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre and Repórter Brasil are partners in a University of Nottingham and Fundação Getulio Vargas research project funded by the British Academy on ‘The Interaction of Law and Supply Chain Management in Cross-Judicial Supply Chains: Supply Chain Effectiveness of Modern Slavery Legislation’. Today, global supply chains are facing a multitude of...

Letter to Thai Prime Minister re Criminal Defamation of Migrant Workers

CORE is among a coalition of 87 civil society groups, worker organisations, businesses and European Parliamentarians which have sent an open letter sent to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha regarding criminal defamation charges brought against Myanmar workers.

New proposals to empower victims of modern slavery

Early September marked the return of Parliament and saw peers scrutinise new proposals to strengthen support available for victims of modern slavery. Lord McColl’s Modern Slavery Bill which received its 2nd Reading on Friday 8 September aims to enshrine in law victims’ entitlement to support during the reflection and recovery period, while the competent authorities are deciding whether there is evidence that they have been a victim of modern slavery. This would be accompanied by a statutory duty to provide confirmed victims of modern slavery with ongoing support and leave to remain for a period of 12 months.

Professional Sports Union Tackles Human Rights Abuses

In an effort to curb sports-linked abuses, the 85,000 player affiliated union World Players Association has released a human rights policy aimed at protecting those in the sporting profession. This comes two months after FIFA published its own policy on human rights standards and marks a growing awareness of the varying threats posed to players’ welfare.

Leading organisations come together to advance global labour rights

Leading NGO and trade union representatives from UK organisations including Oxfam, the Trade Union Congress, Cafod, Homeworkers Worldwide and Fairtrade Foundation came together at UNISON’s head office this month to advance work on labour rights in global supply chains.

Why investor engagement is crucial to the fight against modern slavery

Blog by Patricia Carrier from the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre Modern slavery is pervasive across corporate supply chains in all regions of the world, generating approximately $150bn a year in illegal profits. Sectors that are vulnerable include: agriculture, apparel & footwear, construction, food & beverage, manufacturing and mining. It is more likely than not...