The statistics are staggering and sobering. In 2024, an estimated 50 million people worldwide remain trapped in modern slavery. Despite over a century passing since the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, despite advances in international humanitarian law, technology, and human rights frameworks, we are witnessing what Baroness Theresa May, Chair of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking, calls “the greatest human rights issue of our time” in the Commission’s report “No Country Is Immune: Working Together to End Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking”.
But perhaps the most striking revelation from the Global Commission’s recent report is this: 86% of people in modern slavery are exploited by the private sector. This statistic fundamentally shifts the conversation from viewing modern slavery as a governmental or humanitarian issue to recognising it as a business imperative that demands immediate corporate action.
The Hidden Crisis in Our Global Economy
Modern slavery is not a relic of the past confined to distant regions—it is a pervasive reality woven into the fabric of our interconnected global economy. As the Global Commission makes clear, “no country is immune.” From the brick kilns of South Asia to the agricultural fields of Europe, from the factories of Southeast Asia to the domestic homes of wealthy nations, modern slavery operates as what the Commission describes as “an invisible war that plays out every minute in our homes, our workplaces, our businesses, our global village.”
The forms of exploitation are diverse and evolving:
- Forced labour
- Debt bondage
- Human trafficking for sexual exploitation
- Domestic servitude
- Forced marriage
- Child labour in its worst forms
- Emerging forms of exploitation like cyber scamming operations
What unites these practices is the fundamental removal of human freedom—people treated as commodities whose only value lies in the profit they generate for their exploiters.
The Private Sector's Central Role
The Commission’s finding that 86% of modern slavery victims are exploited by private enterprises represents both a damning indictment and a crucial opportunity. It means that businesses—not just governments or humanitarian organisations—hold the key to addressing this crisis.
Consider the scope of this involvement:
- Supply chain exploitation: Workers in factories, farms, mines, and processing facilities forced to work under exploitative conditions
- Recruitment fraud: Deceptive practices that trap workers in debt bondage
- Forced labour in service industries: From construction to hospitality, cleaning to caregiving
- Corporate complicity: Companies that knowingly or unknowingly benefit from exploitative labour practices
As the report notes, “faceless casualties are generated every day through the purchasing decisions of unconscious consumption, and the blind eyes of a global economic system that offers little or no transparency in business supply chains.”
The Business Case for Action
Beyond the moral imperative, there are compelling business reasons for companies to address modern slavery:
Economic Impact: The International Labour Organisation estimates that forced labour generates $236 billion in illegal profits annually—wages effectively stolen from workers. This represents massive market distortions and unfair competitive advantages.
Legal and Regulatory Risks: Modern slavery legislation is expanding globally, with mandatory reporting requirements and potential criminal liability for corporate officers.
Reputational Consequences: In our interconnected world, exposure of modern slavery in supply chains can devastate brand reputation and consumer trust.
Operational Resilience: Supply chains built on exploitation are inherently unstable and vulnerable to disruption.
Human Rights Due Diligence: The Essential Response
This is where Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) becomes not just relevant but absolutely critical. Partner Africa’s advisory services specialise in helping businesses develop and implement the systematic HRDD frameworks needed to:
Identify and Assess: Map supply chains and assess risks of modern slavery across all operations and business relationships.
Prevent and Mitigate: Implement robust controls, supplier codes of conduct, and monitoring systems to prevent exploitation.
Track and Monitor: Establish ongoing oversight mechanisms to detect early warning signs and emerging risks.
Communicate and Report: Provide transparent reporting on efforts and progress in addressing modern slavery risks.
Remediate and Repair: When exploitation is discovered, ensure victims receive appropriate support and that systemic issues are addressed.
The Interconnected Nature of Risk
The Global Commission emphasises that modern slavery doesn’t exist in isolation—it’s interconnected with other global challenges. Climate change displaces populations, making them vulnerable to trafficking. Economic inequality creates desperation that traffickers exploit. Conflict and instability destroy protective frameworks.
Similarly, business risks are interconnected. As the report observes: “When companies look at their supply chains with a view to reducing their environmental impact, they need also to consider whether modern slavery exists in those supply chains. The sub-contractor who is abusing the environment may also be abusing their workers.”
This interconnectedness makes HRDD even more valuable—it’s not just about compliance with modern slavery laws, but about building resilient, sustainable business practices that address multiple risks simultaneously.
Technology and Modern Risk Landscapes
The Global Commission highlights how technology creates both new opportunities for exploitation and new tools for prevention. Perpetrators use social media to recruit victims, employ digital systems to falsify wage records, and create hidden operations like ghost kitchens for online delivery services that conceal working conditions from consumers, whilst utilising encryption to conceal their activities.
However, technology also offers solutions for businesses committed to addressing these risks. When deployed as part of a comprehensive human rights strategy, technological tools can support supply chain mapping, risk assessment, and monitoring efforts—though they must be combined with on-ground expertise and worker-centred approaches to be truly effective.
The Path Forward
The Global Commission’s report is, in their words, “a wake-up call to the world” and “a challenge to governments, businesses and civil society.” For the private sector, this challenge is particularly acute given their central role in the problem—and therefore their central role in the solution.
Our Recommended Actions for Business Leaders:
- Acknowledge the Reality: Recognise that modern slavery likely exists somewhere in your extended supply chain or operations.
- Implement Comprehensive HRDD: Go beyond compliance box-ticking to establish genuine systems for identifying, preventing, and addressing human rights risks.
- Invest in Supply Chain Transparency: You cannot address what you cannot see—mapping and monitoring are essential first steps.
- Collaborate Across Industries: Modern slavery requires collective action—work with peers, industry bodies, and civil society organisations.
- Center Survivor Voices: Ensure that people with lived experience inform your policies and practices.
A Moral Imperative and Business Opportunity
The Global Commission concludes with a powerful reminder: “Just as our predecessors ended transatlantic slavery, we have the power and the responsibility to declare ‘No More’. This is not merely a policy issue; it is a profound moral imperative.”
For businesses, this represents both an urgent moral obligation and a significant strategic opportunity. Companies that proactively address modern slavery through robust HRDD will not only contribute to ending this global tragedy—they will also build more ethical, resilient, and sustainable operations.
The question is not whether your business is connected to modern slavery—the statistics suggest it almost certainly is. The question is what you will do about it. The 50 million people trapped in modern slavery cannot wait for perfect solutions or complete regulatory frameworks. They need business leaders to act now, with courage and commitment, to build supply chains and operations that respect human dignity and freedom.
In a world where no country is immune to modern slavery, no business can afford to remain immune to action.
Access the Full Report
This blog draws from the Global Commission on Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking’s report “No Country Is Immune: Working Together to End Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking.” The complete report, available from the Commission’s website and can be downloaded here, contains detailed case studies, comprehensive recommendations, and essential data for informing your organisation’s approach to modern slavery prevention.
Partner Africa supports businesses in implementing comprehensive Human Rights Due Diligence frameworks that address modern slavery risks across operations and supply chains. Our expertise in African markets, combined with global best practices, helps companies build ethical, resilient, and compliant business operations.