This article forms part of our "Spotlights: Impacts in action" series looking at the impact our responsible business framework is having on clients, colleagues, communities and governance.
Article last updated 3 April 2026.
2025 marked the tenth anniversary of the UK’s landmark Modern Slavery Act 2015, which sought to involve the business community in the issue. A key provision of the Act, Section 54 (s54), requires companies to investigate and report on modern slavery in their supply chains. However, without enforcement powers, compliance has often been inconsistent and superficial, despite the efforts of leading businesses, charities, and NGOs.
Nevertheless, modern slavery remains one of our priority areas for industry advocacy. In 2024, we worked with CCLA to respond to the House of Lords consultation on the Modern Slavery Act, calling for stronger enforcement and improved reporting standards. Our contribution was cited in the Home Office’s 2025 Transparency in Supply Chains Statutory Guidance, shaping how businesses comply with both the letter and spirit of the law.
In 2025, alongside CCLA and Walk Free, we submitted evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into forced labour in UK supply chains. This submission highlighted our Votes Against Slavery (VAS) campaign: a coalition of institutional investors that we created, working to combat modern slavery in UK‑listed companies and their supply chains.
Through VAS, we encourage businesses to meet the requirements of s54 of the Modern Slavery Act, and adopt best practices to identify, eradicate, and prevent exploitation in their supply chains. We also referenced CCLA’s Find it, Fix it, Prevent it programme, which helps companies take proactive steps to identify, eradicate, and prevent modern slavery.
Through this work, we continue to influence policy and raise industry standards, ensuring human rights remain central to responsible business.
