UK-MSA-54-001 legal data_error ai_generated true

AI tells a UK company with £36M+ turnover that a modern slavery statement can be a simple one-paragraph boilerplate saying 'we comply with the law'

ID: legal/uk-modern-slavery-act-statement-content

Also available as: JSON · Markdown · 中文
78%Fix Rate
82%Confidence
1Evidence
2023-09-20First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
Modern Slavery Act 2015 active — — —
Home Office Guidance 2021 active — — —
Transparency in Supply Chains Clause active — — —

Root Cause

Under UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 Section 54, statements must include specific content: organizational structure, supply chains, policies, due diligence, risk assessment, training, and effectiveness metrics; a bare compliance assertion is insufficient and may lead to an injunction and reputational damage.

generic

中文

根据 2015 年英国现代奴隶制法案第 54 条，声明必须包括具体内容：组织结构、供应链、政策、尽职调查、风险评估、培训和有效性指标；单纯的合规断言不足，可能导致禁令和声誉损害。

Official Documentation

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transparency-in-supply-chains-a-practical-guide

Workarounds

  1. 85% success Use the Home Office's recommended template: include sections for 'Organization Structure', 'Supply Chains', 'Policies on Slavery and Human Trafficking', 'Due Diligence Processes', 'Risk Assessment and Management', 'Training', and 'Measuring Effectiveness'. Publish as a PDF on the website root. 
    Use the Home Office's recommended template: include sections for 'Organization Structure', 'Supply Chains', 'Policies on Slavery and Human Trafficking', 'Due Diligence Processes', 'Risk Assessment and Management', 'Training', and 'Measuring Effectiveness'. Publish as a PDF on the website root.
  2. 80% success Conduct a supply chain mapping exercise using tools like Sedex or EcoVadis to identify high-risk tiers, then document findings in the statement with specific KPIs (e.g., % of suppliers audited). 
    Conduct a supply chain mapping exercise using tools like Sedex or EcoVadis to identify high-risk tiers, then document findings in the statement with specific KPIs (e.g., % of suppliers audited).
  3. 90% success Engage legal counsel to review the statement before publication, and set a recurring annual deadline (within 6 months of financial year-end) to update it. 
    Engage legal counsel to review the statement before publication, and set a recurring annual deadline (within 6 months of financial year-end) to update it.

中文步骤

  1. Use the Home Office's recommended template: include sections for 'Organization Structure', 'Supply Chains', 'Policies on Slavery and Human Trafficking', 'Due Diligence Processes', 'Risk Assessment and Management', 'Training', and 'Measuring Effectiveness'. Publish as a PDF on the website root.
  2. Conduct a supply chain mapping exercise using tools like Sedex or EcoVadis to identify high-risk tiers, then document findings in the statement with specific KPIs (e.g., % of suppliers audited).
  3. Engage legal counsel to review the statement before publication, and set a recurring annual deadline (within 6 months of financial year-end) to update it.

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. 65% fail

    Copying a competitor's statement without tailoring to your own supply chains; each company must describe its own specific risks and actions.

  2. 70% fail

    Publishing a statement only on the company intranet; the Act requires it to be on the website's homepage or a prominent link.

  3. 60% fail

    Failing to include a board-level approval signature and date; statements must be signed by a director and dated.