New record high for modern slavery referrals as they rise by a third in a year

Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said: “These figures re-emphasise how important it is that more is done to tackle these abhorrent crimes.

“This starts with the government strengthening the UK’s Modern Slavery Act.

“This can include reducing the turnover threshold for organisations to be required to report on how they’re tackling modern slavery.

“We also need to remove the opportunity for reporting organisations to simply say they’ve taken no steps to tackle it.

“We also need businesses to include modern slavery within their risk management and procurement processes, and to raise awareness within their supply chains.

“A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right for all workers, yet those who fall victim to modern slavery often don’t benefit from this and are often not in a position to call out poor working conditions and practices.

“We need action now, to protect these people and eradicate this global scourge.”