The impossibility of shunning modern slavery (but how to try)

From nail bars to cheap clothing, keeping your money away from businesses using slavery and forced labour can be a challenge

Modern slavery remains a hidden but endemic problem both in the UK and across the overseas supply chains that provide the food and goods we purchase (Rory Carnegie/National Crime Agency)

More than 30,000 people are in slavery in the UK, despite official figures suggesting the figure is closer to 13,000.

That’s the opinion of Paul Gerrard, campaigns director at the Co-Operative and a member of the expert panel on slavery chaired by Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Nichols.

“I’ve spoken to law enforcement workers and charities, and their estimate for 2017 is that it’s actually two, three, maybe four-times [the official figure, released back in 2014],” he says.

Modern slavery remains a hidden but endemic problem both within the UK and across the overseas supply chains that provide the food and goods we purchase. But avoiding buying from organisations tainted by slavery remains difficult for consumers. There’s no easy-to-spot badge.

What’s more, with high inflation outstripping wage growth, more of us than ever are seeking out the best prices and best deals. That search can see customers unknowingly flocking to exploitative workplaces where they can get their car washed for a few pounds or a manicure for half the usual price.

So it’s down to consumers to be alert to clues of a very real, very modern crime being committed on our doorsteps as well as further afield.

Spotting the signs

“It’s not straightforward,” says Jakub Sobik, spokesperson for the organisation Anti-Slavery International. “You need to be aware that it exists. If you go to a car wash and 10 men look after your car for 15 mins and you pay £3 then think about how this can financially work – that’s your first sign.

“The men could be looking unkempt, might not want to talk to you, might not speak English. That’s not always a sure sign of exploitative practises but it can be an indicator. They might not want to talk about conditions or their boss. If they always wear the same clothes and don’t wear protective clothes, that can suggest a problem.

“If you see them being taken by a van then that might be a sign that they all live in the same place. That might suggest accommodation is provided by the employer, making them more vulnerable and more dependent.”

Sharing accommodation does not prove people are being exploited but Sobik suggests it can be one of a number of indicators. Most of us can’t hover around a small business watching to see if the staff are bussed in so price has to be a key indicator.

Gerrard says this can actually be fairly straightforward: “If you look at it and wonder how they make any money then the only way could be by not paying people. If you just don’t see how it can be a viable business then it could well be that it isn’t.”

Worried members of the public can contact the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 to report any suspicions or concerns.

Boycott

One option is to try to boycott those sectors most affected by issues of forced labour and slavery. Gerrard chooses not to use car washes at all, for example, but the issue of slavery is simply not limited to one specific sector.

Pete Fahy, director of structural reform at anti-slavery charity Hope for Justice, agrees. He says: “Modern slavery is a lot more widespread than most people realise, it goes on in every town and city in the UK. The National Crime Agency estimates that there are tens of thousands of victims here, trapped in forced labour, sexual exploitation or domestic servitude, and Hope for Justice agrees with this analysis, which tallies with the number of victims we rescue.

“Industries most affected include car washes, nail salons, low-skill manufacture, agriculture, waste recycling and sorting, textiles, logistics, [and] leaflet deliveries.”

Justine Currell, executive director of the anti-slavery organisation Unseen which runs the helpline, warns: “Unfortunately modern slavery happens across the UK and in many sectors and industries. On the UK-wide Modern Slavery Helpline we take calls from potential victims involved in forced labour situations in sectors such as construction, agriculture, factories, car washes, nail bars, the care sector and hospitality.

“This issue affects both men and women of all ages in the UK who report receiving little or no pay, being treated poorly, living in terrible conditions, and being physically assaulted or psychologically abused.”

At least when it’s a business you’re interacting with face-to-face you are in a position to make a personal assessment of whether there seems to be the taint of slavery. On the supply side, it can be far harder to spot because customers are then interacting with an established national chain with happy, well-paid UK staff and a great deal of public trust.

Chain reaction

What makes it even harder is that many companies may simply not realise they have slavery within their supply chains and if they don’t know then it is even harder for their customers to suspect.

Sobik says: “Even the companies that say ‘We are an ethical company selling organic cotton and we really check our supply chains’ can’t be 100 per cent sure that they truly are free of exploitation. It’s great to see that they take it seriously but their subcontractor may subcontract work and then again. There are really complex supply chains.”

Gerrard agrees and makes a statement that few businesses would feel comfortable admitting: “I am often asked ‘is there slavery in the supply chain of the Co-op?’. I can’t give a guarantee that there isn’t, but when we find it, we do something about it.”

He says he “looks askance” when a business confidently declares there is no slavery in its supply chain and feels more confident in a firm’s ethics when it focuses more on how it tackles any abuses it does uncover.

More businesses could do with adopting a similar level of honesty on this issue. Emma Scott, representation manager at the ‎Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) says: “Slavery is often thought of as something condemned to the history books, but in reality it has likely played a part in producing many of the goods found on modern high streets across the UK.

“Modern supply chains are often complex and spread across multiple countries, which makes identifying and preventing slavery difficult. One in ten UK businesses have found examples of slavery in their supply chains in the past, according to CIPS research.”

As consumers, we cannot possibly investigate each business’ supply chain. However, firms with a turnover of more than £36m a year must produce an annual statement outlining the steps they have taken to combat slavery in their supply chains.

That statement, which should be available on their websites, can be a good indicator of how seriously a business takes tackling abuse.

Consumer action

If there was greater awareness of the horrors of slavery, perhaps more of us would demand businesses do better. “Many children across the globe are also trapped in child labour, expected to work very long hours for little or no pay at the age of 12 or 13,” explains Currell. “Often the goods they make reach our high streets and are bought by an unassuming public, grateful for the cheap prices.”

Being aware of modern slavery and proactively demanding proper working conditions from both small everyday businesses and larger chains might be yet another thing for busy, budgeting customers to worry about. However, it will be key in stamping out the global scourge of slavery.

Debbie Nuttall, an associate at modern slavery legal specialists HRC Law, says: “Raising awareness of modern slavery is key to stamping it out and savvy consumers are a crucial component – if consumers actively choose to deal only with businesses that have demonstrated that they take the issue seriously, eventually we will begin to see a real change in awareness and attitudes, which is crucial if it is to be eradicated.”

Gerrard adds: “There are more people in slavery now than at any single point in human history. That’s just haunting.” As more consumers become aware of the problem, it’s an issue that should start worrying more business leaders as well.