LONDON – A new report published by researchers from the universities of Liverpool and Nottingham suggests that amid the global pandemic, commercial and operational risks were prioritised by companies ahead of modern slavery concerns.
‘Implications of COVID-19 for modern slavery challenges in supply chain management’ assessed almost 500 managers in relevant positions, and held focus groups with expert practitioners to determine the scope of supply chain disruptions and the subsequent actions.
It found that whilst the managers of companies, including retailers, demonstrated a “small but significant” increase in their attention to modern slavery challenges exacerbated by COVID-19, it was often overlooked at times of operational uncertainty.
