Most UK Firms Missing Modern Slavery Warning Signs, Research Finds
Published on 08/09/2026 at 10:47 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
New research indicates that a significant majority of UK businesses are failing to identify and address the warning signs of modern slavery within their operations and supply chains. Despite high levels of confidence among leadership, formal safeguards remain largely absent across many sectors — a gap that carries serious legal and reputational risks for employers.
Internal Gaps in Corporate Oversight
A survey conducted by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) in partnership with YouGov found that 70% of organisations do not have a formal risk assessment process dedicated to modern slavery. The study, which included 1,011 senior decision-makers, revealed a stark disconnect between perceived readiness and actual policy.
While 56% of those surveyed expressed confidence in their ability to manage modern slavery risks, the underlying data suggests otherwise. Approximately 62% of firms reported having no formal commitment to addressing the issue, and an equal percentage stated they provide no training to staff on how to recognise exploitation. Furthermore, 44% of organisations lack established reporting channels for workers to raise concerns regarding labour practices.
The same gap that leaves firms exposed on modern slavery often shows up in everyday workplace safety — many employers simply lack the formal risk assessment processes regulators expect. A free toolkit with 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists helps you document hazards properly and stay ahead of compliance duties. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
IOSH has responded to these findings by calling for the introduction of mandatory due diligence requirements to ensure businesses take active steps toward transparency and protection in their supply chains.
Rising Victim Recognition and Legal Consequences
The findings arrive as the scale of modern slavery in the UK continues to be documented. In 2025, there were 23,411 potential victims identified across the country. Recent legal developments have highlighted the severity of these issues in high-profile cases.
The Home Office recently recognised four additional women as victims of modern slavery related to the late Mohamed Al Fayed. This brings the total number of recognised survivors in this specific case to five, following the initial recognition of a survivor in April 2026. These decisions, made through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), have led police to expand their investigations to include human trafficking allegations.
In a separate matter, operators of illegal children's homes in Kent were recently prosecuted. The individuals involved earned approximately £1.8 million over three years by housing nine children in unregistered facilities. The case resulted in a fine of £92,400 and highlighted the 800 children placed in illegal settings last year, where costs can reach £40,000 per week.
Broader Supply Chain and Regulatory Pressure
While many firms lag behind on labour standards, the UK government is increasing pressure on corporate responsibility in other areas. In early August, more than 60 major companies, including Marks & Spencer, Nationwide, and Microsoft UK, signed the Cyber Resilience Pledge.
This voluntary commitment mirrors some of the calls for modern slavery oversight by requiring board-level responsibility for security and the implementation of specific standards throughout supply chains. The initiative follows data showing that cybercrime costs the UK approximately £14.7 billion annually, with individual attacks costing businesses an average of £195,000.
When regulators tighten oversight, employers need documented proof they take their duties seriously — not just for modern slavery, but across all health and safety obligations. A comprehensive toolkit covering the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH, and PUWER gives you the checklists and risk assessments to demonstrate compliance. Get the free Health & Safety Toolkit
Additionally, Britain's audit watchdog, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), has signalled a push for more focused corporate reporting. FRC leadership emphasised that annual reports have become excessively long, averaging 98,000 words, and urged companies to move away from "box-ticking" exercises in favour of clearer communication regarding innovation and governance.
