The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Dame Sara Thornton, has responded to comments made today by Prime Minister Theresa May at the United Nations International Labour Organization in Geneva

Theresa May told world leaders that they have a “moral duty” to tackle modern slavery, and announced a series of measures to build on the UK’s Modern Slavery Act, including a central registry of modern slavery transparency statements.

Section 54 (Transparency in supply chains) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires certain organisations to develop a slavery and human trafficking statement each year. The slavery and human trafficking statement should set out what steps organisations have taken to ensure modern slavery is not taking place in their business or supply chains.

Dame Sara Thornton said:

“Ensuring that businesses and Government are doing all they can to exclude slavery from supply chains is vital. I therefore welcome the announcement of a free online registry of business modern slavery statements, so that compliance and action is made transparent.

This will enable my office to scrutinise both compliance with the legislation and the way that modern slavery statements are driving changes in business practice.

The Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act final report made several other recommendations and I look forward to the Government's response to them.”

Read Prime Minister Theresa May's full speech here.