The Modern Slavery Act 2015 (“the ‘Act”) became law in 2015 and its provisions came into force last year. The legislation applies to all companies with turnover in excess of £36 million.

Key elements for initial compliance with the Act include the annual production of a public slavery and human trafficking statement, a requirement to ensure compliance by your suppliers and a due diligence process to ensure such compliance and robust follow up.

It is expected that detailed guidance will be available later on the year, following a review of companies implementation, although companies are expected to be enforcing the legislation during this period. It is important to note that the legislation also requires transparency throughout the supply chain as a legal requirement.