MAKE YOUR FREE Modern slavery prevention statement

Provide information about the steps your business is taking to make sure that the business and its supply chains are free from modern slavery and human trafficking. Use this modern slavery prevention statement to comply with your legal obligation to publish such a statement or to make a voluntary statement.

Recently reviewed by Lauren Delin, Solicitor. 

This modern slavery prevention statement was last reviewed on 27 May 2021.

A modern slavery prevention statement, also known as a 'modern slavery statement' or 'MSS', is a document that sets out the steps taken by a business during a given financial year to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking taking place in their business or supply chains. Read Modern slavery statements for more information on modern slavery.

Use this MSS if you:

• operate in the UK

• are a company, LLP or partnership

• are required by law to publish a modern slavery statement

• want to make a voluntary modern slavery statement

This MSS covers:

• the organisational structure of the business 

• what policies are used to monitor modern slavery

• due diligence procedures to monitor and reduce the risk of modern slavery

• information on supply chains

• measures used to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place in the business or its supply chains

• training

• next steps to be taken to handle modern slavery

Modern slavery is an umbrella term for all forms of slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 combats modern slavery and consolidates previous offences relating to trafficking and slavery.

An annual MSS must be published by any businesses that:

• is a body corporate (such as a private limited company) or a partnership, wherever incorporated or formed

• carries on a business, or part of a business, in the UK

• supplies goods or services, and

• has an annual turnover of at least £36 million

Where a business does not meet these criteria, it may publish a voluntary MSS to show how it handles modern slavery and human trafficking in its operation and supply chains. Businesses that do not meet the criteria may, for example, wish to make a voluntary MSS if they:

• are involved in lucrative transactions involving bidding for contracts against businesses that have such statements in place 

• operate in a higher-risk industry for modern slavery (eg fishing, construction, food, hospitality, manufacturing, agriculture, recruitment and retail)

• are asked by a client business to provide a statement setting out their approach to tackling modern slavery

Read Modern slavery statements for more information.

To determine the risk environment of the business, you will need to conduct a situation-specific risk assessment. You will need to consider: 

• the products and/or services that are used, including the suppliers who provide them

• any relevant internal and external sources (eg existing company policies, like a whistleblowing policy or staff code of conduct)

• any specific risks (eg country or sector risks)

For more information on these risk assessments, read Modern slavery statements.

You should explain the measures that the business has taken to ensure that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking within its supply chains. This includes:

• identifying the risks associated with the supply chain(s) 

• prioritising those risks 

• assessing the level of importance

• ensuring that appropriate remedies are in place

For more information, read Modern slavery statements.

Your MSS will need to be approved by:

• the board of directors, if the business is a company

• the partnership members, if the business is an LLP or general partnership

Once approved, an MSS needs to be signed by either a:

• director, if the business is a company

• designated member, if the business is an LLPs

• general partner, if the business is a general partnership

If your business has a website, the MSS needs to be published on the website by placing a link in a visible place on the homepage or in a drop-down menu. Where there is more than one relevant website, the MSS should be published on each website. 

If your business does not have a website, then a copy of the MSS needs to be provided to anyone who requests one in writing within 30 days.

Modern slavery statements can also be published online on the government’s modern slavery statement registry. While this is currently not mandatory, businesses are encouraged to do so. In future, all organisations required to produce an MSS will need to submit their most recent statement to the registry.

For more information, read Modern slavery statements.

Ask a lawyer if:

• the document doesn't meet your needs or cover what you want

• you have a company overseas and have an office in the UK

• you are unsure if you need to publish an MSS 

This modern slavery statement is governed by the laws of England, Wales and Scotland.