On 2 December each year, the world marks the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: a stark reminder that even today, millions remain trapped in modern forms of slavery. A recent article by Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) highlights this sobering truth: “Forms of slavery keep changing, but the harm remains the same.” Slavery has not disappeared, it has simply changed form.
As organisations scrutinise their own operations and supply chains, it becomes clear that real progress demands more than good intentions: it requires the right people, with the right mandate. At Leonid, we believe that the integrity of global supply chains hinges on assembling a capable, committed, and accountable team. Here’s why, and how.
Modern slavery is everywhere - and often invisible
Traditional forms of slavery - debt bondage, forced labour, child labour, human trafficking, forced marriage - sadly continue to afflict people worldwide. Far from being confined to one region or industry, these practices occur across agriculture (from cocoa to fish), mining, manufacturing, construction, domestic work - and even in sectors we might least expect.
Many victims may appear free: legally employed and visible to the public eye; however, their work is rooted in coercion, deception or exploitation. As global supply chains stretch further and become more complex, the risk that slavery is woven into production, shipping, sourcing or subcontracting increases dramatically.
Against this backdrop, supply-chain due diligence cannot be a tick-box exercise or a PR exercise. It must be treated as a moral, legal and business imperative with qualified and passionate people in charge, empowered to act.
Why appointing the right team is essential
1. Expertise to navigate complexity
Modern slavery can be hidden behind layers of subcontracting, complex labour arrangements, informal employment, or debt relationships. Recognising it requires expertise: in human rights, labour law, risk-assessment, supply-chain mapping, and stakeholder engagement. A dedicated team ensures these competencies are present and applied consistently.
2. Accountability to ensure action, not just words
Statements and policies are meaningless if not backed by people who can monitor compliance, conduct audits, follow up on allegations and enforce consequences. A robust team - with clear roles and senior-level support - creates ownership and avoids the “that’s somebody else’s problem” mentality.
3. Independence & integrity to avoid conflicts of interest
Given the commercial pressures that drive exploitation - cost-cutting, tight margins, subcontracting - those responsible for compliance must be able to act independently, free from undue influence. A properly structured team helps maintain impartiality and ensures workers’ rights are not sacrificed for short-term gain.
4. Continuous vigilance: because slavery evolves
As the OHCHR piece notes, “forms of slavery keep changing.” That means risks change too: new geographies, new supply-chain models, new technologies, new labour models. A dedicated team ensures constant monitoring, regular reviews, and a proactive stance.
5. Transparency & trust: internally and externally
Stakeholders - consumers, investors, regulators - increasingly demand transparency. Having a credible team working on human rights and supply-chain integrity builds trust, strengthens brand reputation, and helps meet regulatory or voluntary reporting requirements.
How organisations should build the right anti-slavery team
Based on best practices and lessons from human-rights organisations worldwide, here are recommendations for structuring an effective anti-slavery or human-rights team:
- Appoint a human rights officer or head of human rights, with direct access to the board or executive leadership: someone who can ensure visibility and drive change.
- Build a multidisciplinary team: compliance, procurement/supply-chain experts, legal counsel, human-rights specialists, and if possible, external civil-society advisors.
- Empower the team with authority and resources to conduct audits (on-site and remote), engage suppliers and investigate concerns.
- Put in place robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms, including regular assessments of labour practices across all tiers of the supply chain.
- Engage stakeholders - including workers and communities - to surface risks, identify abuses and create channels for safe reporting.
- Adopt a policy of “zero tolerance plus prevention”: not only reacting to abuses when they occur, but preventing them through training, education, supplier engagement, fair procurement policies, liveable wages and audits.
- Commit to transparency and ongoing improvement; publishing reports, updating policies and revising supplier relationships where needed.
A Call to Action
On this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, the message is painfully simple: exploitation persists. Virtual chains of debt, coercion, deception, and forced labour still bind millions: invisible, silent and trapped.
If businesses are serious about contributing to the end of modern slavery, they must move beyond goodwill and take real, concrete steps. That starts with people: the right team, with the right skills, empowered to act firmly, fairly and fearlessly.
At Leonid, we believe a responsible supply-chain is an absolute cornerstone of ethical business and we take great pride in finding brilliant people who can not only ensure supply chain due diligence but who can also be true leaders and ambassadors for a more ethical world.
To find out more about our human rights recruitment service, please get in touch with Adam Bond to find out more.
