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Modern slavery: is a policy enough? | CyberChat 4
CYBERCHAT / EPISODE 04
A fictional 1990s chatroom conversation about real sustainability questions. Joanna and Al appear as themselves; the dialogue is scripted and the other characters are invented. Inspired by the CIPS Futures podcast linked below, with practical examples added for smaller suppliers.
The short version
A modern slavery policy is a starting point. Useful action means understanding who supplies your business, how workers are recruited and treated, and what happens when somebody raises a concern. Focus your effort where people face the greatest risk, and get specialist help if you suspect exploitation.
#evergreen : CyberChat
[21:01] Al says: evening all. modern slavery tonight. We have a policy, suppliers sign it, job done?
[21:02] net_junky says: mine is a PDF. very official.
[21:03] Joanna says: What happens after someone signs it? That is the question. A policy sets expectations. It does not tell you what is happening to the people doing the work.
[21:04] Sunshine_girl says: but we are a small business. we buy from UK suppliers??
[21:05] Joanna says: That does not rule out risk. The CIPS podcast discusses exploitation in UK care, hospitality, construction and logistics. It also highlights how subcontracting can make it harder to see who is actually working for you. [1]
[21:06] Ace_Ventura says: so the address on the invoice is not the whole story
[21:07] Joanna says: Exactly. Your supplier might be local, while its products come from elsewhere. Or the people delivering its service might have been recruited through another business.
[21:08] Al says: what about a little NHS supplier selling software? no factories here
[21:09] Joanna says: Think beyond what you sell. Who cleans your office? Where do your laptops come from? Do you use agency workers or subcontractors? The podcast makes a useful point about purchases that support a business but never become part of its product. [1]
[21:10] net_junky says: so now i have to investigate the entire planet
[21:11] Joanna says: Start with a manageable review. List what you buy and who supplies it. Look for gaps in your understanding, labour-intensive services and layers of subcontracting. Use those clues to decide where to ask more questions.
[21:12] Sunshine_girl says: what questions though? everyone will say they have a policy
[21:13] Joanna says: Try: who recruits the workers? Are other agencies involved? What checks do you make on those agencies? How can workers raise concerns safely? What happens when they do? Ask for examples of how the process works.
[21:14] Ace_Ventura says: the questionnaire has escaped its folder
[21:15] Al says: would an audit sort it?
[21:16] Joanna says: An audit can help, but ask what it covers and what changed afterwards. The podcast challenges businesses to look at whether training, checks and campaigns actually make a difference. Counting completed activities only tells you so much. [1]
[21:17] net_junky says: we have had zero reports. surely that is good
[21:18] Joanna says: Perhaps. But would someone know how to report a concern? Would they feel safe doing it? Silence on its own cannot answer those questions.
[21:19] Sunshine_girl says: what if somebody actually tells us something worrying?
[21:20] Joanna says: Take it seriously and get specialist advice. The podcast is particularly clear that identifying someone can put them at greater risk if the response is handled badly. Their safety needs to guide what happens next. [1]
[21:21] Al says: so not a quick email copying everyone in
[21:22] Joanna says: Keep sensitive information restricted to those who need it. Do not confront a suspected exploiter. In the UK, the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline can advise on 08000 121 700. Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger. [2]
[21:23] Ace_Ventura says: and suppliers who are trying but have no idea where to start?
[21:24] Joanna says: Help them improve. Share useful resources, explain what you expect and agree actions to follow up. The podcast talks about supplier workshops and collaboration. Sending a code of conduct is only the beginning. [1]
[21:25] net_junky says: this is quite a long way from uploading a document
[21:26] Joanna says: It is. For your supplier evidence, keep a record of the risks you considered, the checks you made, who owns each action and what changed. The paperwork should describe work that is actually happening.
[21:27] Al says: one thing to do tomorrow?
[21:28] Joanna says: Pick one supplier or service where you have a plausible concern or limited visibility. Find out who does the work and how concerns reach the right person. Use that to start a focused action plan.
[21:29] Sunshine_girl says: ok. less polishing the policy. more asking questions.
[21:30] Joanna says: And listening carefully to the answers.
End of chat · One supplier. Better questions. A clear next step.
What this means for you
Start with one priority supplier or service. Record what you know, what you still need to establish, who will follow up and when. Make sure staff know where to raise concerns. Keep sensitive case information separate from routine supplier questionnaires and tender evidence.
Sources and further reading
- CIPS Futures podcast: Modern slavery: the five hundred billion dollar crime in your supply chain
Adapted from the source podcast. Relevant sections: 08:08–11:30 on intelligence and safe responses; 19:58–22:47 on effectiveness and supplier engagement; 23:18–27:51 on supply-chain visibility and taking action.
- Unseen: Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline
Specialist information, advice and reporting routes. Contact details checked 29 September 2026.
Source note: the podcast’s title uses a $500 billion figure. This article does not adopt that estimate. The ILO’s 2024 report estimates annual illegal profits from forced labour in the private economy at US$236 billion; that is a specifically defined measure. Read the ILO source.
About the author
Joanna Whitear is the founder of Kintera Limited and supports suppliers with NHS Evergreen assessments and Carbon Reduction Plans. She has more than 15 years of sustainability and climate experience and is a lead ISO 14001 auditor.
Related reading: Keeping useful Evergreen evidence.
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