UK commits to mandatory human rights due diligence to combat forced labour

The UK Government has committed to introducing mandatory human rights due diligence for large businesses, requiring them to identify and address human rights abuses and labour exploitation across their operations and supply chains.

The commitment follows the Government’s Responsible Business Conduct Review, which found the UK’s existing approach to preventing forced labour was fragmented and relied heavily on voluntary action and corporate reporting.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 was considered world-leading when it was introduced, but international standards and laws have now advanced.

The UK had fallen behind G7 partners and other major trading economies, making reform necessary to move beyond reporting and require businesses to act against exploitation.

The UK Government’s reforms introduce new legal responsibilities for large businesses and change how goods linked to forced labour are regulated in the country.

The proposed changes will:

These measures mark a shift towards requiring businesses to take greater responsibility for human rights risks in their operations and supply chains.

The Government plans to introduce the reforms as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The UK’s proposed approach to removing goods made with forced labour from the market differs from the European Union’s Forced Labour Regulation.

The EU prohibits products made with forced labour from being placed on or made available on its market, regardless of whether a company has undertaken human rights due diligence.

The regulation will also apply in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework. This means different rules will govern goods made with forced labour in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The UK’s approach is a step forward, but it stops short of a blanket ban on forced labour goods in Great Britain.

Goods will only be withdrawn where forced labour is identified, and a business has failed to meet its due diligence obligations.

The UK’s commitment to mandatory human rights due diligence adds to growing international pressure on governments to move beyond transparency-based modern slavery laws.

Australia has also committed to introducing a criminal offence for large companies that fail to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains.

This is progress towards corporate accountability, but the proposed offence does not replace the need for a broader due diligence obligation.

Australia now faces a choice about whether to match this progress. Without mandatory human rights due diligence and stronger controls on goods made with forced labour, the country’s markets risk remaining open to products that face restrictions in other economies.