Fairtrade Foundation has welcomed the UK government’s new measures to hold businesses and public bodies accountable for tackling modern slavery.
Responding to the government’s announcement, Fairtrade Foundation’s Policy and Advocacy Manager, Alice Lucas, said:
‘This announcement is an important step in the right direction: tougher measures are desperately needed if we are truly serious about tackling modern slavery in our supply chains.
‘It is high time companies were legally obliged to clean up their supply chains and act decisively on human rights and environmental abuses. This will help to protect the poorest and most vulnerable farmers and workers worldwide, and level the playing field for those businesses already making strides in this area.
‘We welcome the government’s plans to include due diligence in modern slavery reporting, extend rules to the public sector and penalise companies who fail to comply. This is a positive start, and we will continue to engage with the government on a broader legislative solution.’
ENDS
For more information contact Tomilola Ajayi: tomilola.ajayi@fairtrade.org.uk