Construction firms are stepping up efforts to tackle the problem of modern slavery gangs targeting sites.
A coalition of tier one firms and labour agencies have warned vulnerable people are being exploited in the industry’s supply chain despite the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Awareness campaigns are being launched with help from the anti-slavery campaign group Unseen and the Supply Chain Sustainability School.
Unseen released a short film on Tuesday (15 October) that aims to help site managers spot potential victims.
The film “will be used across the built environment sector, as part of training programmes and site inductions, to raise awareness and increase the chances of exploitation activity being reported”, the charity said.
The following firms put their name to the film: Berkeley Group, Laing O’Rourke, Skanska, Morgan Sindall Group, Kier Group, Galliford Try, VGC Group, Danny Sullivan Group, Randstad, Hays and Carmichael.
The initiatives came with a warning from Unseen that the construction industry is one of the three worst sectors for modern slavery abuse due to widespread use of sub-contracted labour, high turnover of workers and complex supply chains.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires a specific statement from a firm that it taken “steps” to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not occurring in any of its supply chains or in any part of its own business.
However, the act only applies to firms with an annual turnover of £36m or more.
According to the charity, labour exploitation victims made up 58 per cent of reports across all industries to the national modern slavery and exploitation helpline in 2023.
Andrew Wallis, chief executive of Unseen, said: “I am heartened to see major construction firms stepping up to provide resources and tools to combat modern slavery.
“This not only raises awareness but also empowers smaller companies at the site level where the impact is most profound,” he added.
Two days after the Unseen announcement, the Supply Chain Sustainability School released a toolkit with a checklist on modern slavery due diligence for firms. The school warned some site managers could be ready to turn a blind eye to the status of workers due to contract pressures from low profit margins and tight deadlines.
Advice includes ways to prevent, identify, manage and mitigate risks of exploitation. It also has signposts to key resources from expert organisations.
The toolkit was backed by merged homebuilder Barratt Redrow.
Signs of modern slavery include:
- Working excessively long hours.
- Not having a contract.
- Receiving deductions from pay.
- Lacking adequate qualifications and training.
Jo Potts, sustainability director at Balfour Beatty and co-chair for the Built Environment Against Slavery Group, said: “Operating responsibly and with integrity whilst upholding the highest ethical standards is critical to success. It must be at the heart of how the construction and infrastructure industry conducts business.”
