We publish an annual Modern Slavery Act statement and feel we're meeting our obligations — is there more we should be doing?

Modern Slavery Act statements are a legal requirement, but the gap between meeting the letter of that requirement and demonstrating genuine commitment has never been wider — or more visible. Civil society organisations, journalists, investors and increasingly regulators are scrutinising these statements closely, and companies whose statements describe processes without evidencing outcomes are attracting exactly the kind of attention they were hoping to avoid.

The direction of travel in legislation and investor expectations is also clear: the UK's Modern Slavery Act is widely expected to be strengthened, and the EU's CSDDD sets a significantly higher bar that will affect many UK businesses through their European operations or customer relationships. Companies that are only doing what today's law requires are likely to find themselves scrambling to catch up.

ETI membership helps you get ahead of that curve. Our members don't just report on human rights — they build the operational capability to make meaningful progress year on year, creating a track record of improvement that stands up to scrutiny from any direction. The question to ask is not just "does our statement comply?" but "if a journalist, an investor or a regulator looked hard at what sits behind it, would they find substance?" ETI membership is how you ensure the answer is yes.

See also: What does human rights due diligence legislation mean for my company?