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Modern Slavery Intelligence Network Conference 2025

A look back at the incredibly successful 2025 conference.

The MSIN Conference 2025 was held on the 26th March in the Tesco Heart building, kindly supported by Tesco,  CCLA Investment Management, Birketts LLP, Pilgrim Europe, Cookie Cut Media and G’s Fresh.

The theme for this years conference was ‘Disruption’ as we continue in our mission to disrupt modern slavery and labour rights abuses in the food and farming industry, as well as to highlight the fantastic work of The Modern Slavery Intelligence Network.

Encouraging more food businesses to join us, alongside the important element of engaging with wider stakeholders on modern slavery issues in the food and agriculture sector. We also explored the role of IT and AI in the fight against labour rights abuses.

Key messages

A wonderful array of speakers agreed to join us including Dame Sara Thornton, The Rt Hon Sarah Champion, and Emily Kenway, Jakub Sobik, Cristina Tallens, who delivered impactful messages including:

  • Modern slavery is present in all areas of our daily lives, and workplaces and we must be fully aware of threats to human rights abuses in our businesses and supply chains. Our due dilligence must step up and fill the space that government enforcement has left
  • There are still significant misunderstandings about who the victims of labour rights abuse are – many are white British males and homelessness alongside addiction are often co vulnerabilities. It is estimated that 1 in 10 people sleeping rough in London have been exploited, prior to their homelessness
  • There is a lack of political leadership on the topic, particularly in the UK, so business must fill the void and continue to apply pressure on government to develop better policy and effective law enforcement, and to join up across government departments on this issue. The role of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner is enshrined in UK law and must be filled.
  • That the public (and therefor our non-exploited workers) have a very narrow understanding of modern slavery. Most people believe that it doesn’t happen much in the UK and mainly to foreign nationals, and that it is mainly women being trafficked into sexual exploitation. However, survivors want the public to know that it is happening now in the UK, that its not only happening to migrants or people of colour and that modern slavery is the removal of choice and control over their lives
  • Supply chain due diligence is fundamental – we disrupt by identifying root causes of risks and providing support. Understanding business challenges and how the site manages them. Worker interviews are best held as a conversation – exploring the opportunities and challenges that workers face day to day, looking to understand the less tangible issues such as harassment or discrimination. – the key is understanding workers satisfaction and feelings of dignity at work. The key message was around moving beyond compliance and empowering workers.
  • Listening to workers is key – understanding the survivor’s journey is key to starting their recovery. Helping them to get back to paid employment in a safe enviroment helps to rebuild lives. Working with charities such as Causeway can support empowerment of survivors
  • There are some very powerful tools in development to support worker voice and human rights due dilligence. Databases such as Taberah, or large language modles such as Worker Bot and powerful AI tools such as are used by Inspectorio could all have a part to play to uncover worker rights abuses.
Conference SLides
Operation Fort & Origin

MSIN Conference Gallery -2025

Conference 2023

A look back at our last conference

The MSIN Conference 2023 was held on the 6th September to report on sharing intelligence to combat modern slavery and engage with wider stakeholders on modern slavery issues in the food and agriculture sector.

A range of speakers, including The Rt Hon Theresa May, and Caroline Haughey OBE, delivered impactful messages including:

  • Modern slavery represents the greatest human rights risk of our time, and the issue is growing, driven by global inequality and instability, increasingly exacerbated by climate change which will drive greater risk and increase the vulnerabilities of the poorest.
  • There is a lack of political leadership on the topic, particularly in the UK, so business must fill the void and continue to apply pressure on government to develop better policy and effective law enforcement, and to join up across government departments on this issue. The role of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner is enshrined in UK law and must be filled.
  • A new Global Commission on Modern Slavery will be launched in October by Mrs May in order to work towards filling this leadership void. It will focus on increasing the visibility of modern slavery
    leadership, gathering a compelling evidence base of trends and vulnerabilities and identify which policy and enforcement is most effective and how governments can collaborate effectively.
  • Supply chain due diligence will be fundamental – businesses will be held responsible for exploitation in their supply chains, and turning a blind eye is not a defence in a court of law. Best practice guidance
    will be key, particularly to bringing SMEs on the same journey as the larger companies.
  • Intelligence, to build issue and trend mapping, will be critical, including all that shared by MSIN members and additionally engagement with survivors to understand gaps and flaws in the system of exploitation and the ‘red flags’ to look out for.
Conference 2023 - Review