Implications of COVID-19 for modern slavery challenges in supply chain management

随着新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19，即2019冠状病毒病）的破坏性和复杂影响开始在世界各地出现，很明显，这种疾病并没有平等地影响所有人。有某些潜在健康问题的人，老年人和黑人、亚裔和少数族裔社区，受到不成比例的影响，面临更糟糕的健康结果。社会不平等加剧了卫生不平等，因为许多人不能在家工作，而那些从事非法强迫劳动的人不能从政府对工人的援助中受益。经济差距也出现了，许多公司经历了需求的巨大激增，而另一些公司则倒闭或挣扎求生。商业影响反过来又增加了弱势工人遭受剥削的风险。虽然商界领袖专注于确保供应以恢复生产和贸易，但低成本、快速采购的商业必要性是优先考虑的。在这种环境下，与现代奴隶制有关的尽职调查很有可能被忽视。这项研究采用了大规模的定量调查供应链专业人士和商业领袖的大公司（营业额£ 3600万及以上）在英国谁属于英国现代奴隶制（2015年）法案。研究结果确定了新的COVID-19商业格局是否以及如何影响企业解决企业供应链中现代奴隶制问题的承诺。新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19，即2019冠状病毒病）引发的紧张局势造成了两种截然相反的局面。一方面，供应链中断的影响可能使人们集中注意企业的结果，而不是更广泛地关注社会问题。风险可能会增加，因为新的供应商对供应链做法分析不足;与具有后勤能力而不是产品专门知识的新供应商签订合同;增加分包;以及工作人员休假减少公司的尽职调查资源。此外，于二零二零年四月，英国政府为应对疫情放宽了公司发布现代奴隶制声明的义务，这可能会引发一场取消优先级的完美风暴。 然而，另一方面，也有机会。相反的情况是，新冠肺炎迫使企业比通常情况下更详细地检查其延伸的供应链，以了解潜在的商业漏洞。与此同时，疫情的影响促使企业考虑其活动对员工、工人、客户及其社区的社会影响。因此，在新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19，即2019冠状病毒病）危机下，对一级供应商以外的供应链进行更积极的管理，可能为企业提供机会，以全面、系统和以人为本的方式揭示解决现代奴隶制问题所需的细节。 本研究探讨了决策者如何应对成本/资源压力和社会义务之间的内在紧张关系。这些见解将使我们的研究合作伙伴开始以证据为基础的对话：道德贸易倡议和58人，他们在实地与个人和组织合作，通过培训和教育打击现代奴隶制;皇冠商业服务，英国中央政府和更广泛的公共部门的购买手臂;内政部的现代奴隶制部门;以及两个学术合作伙伴，利物浦大学管理学院和诺丁汉大学权利实验室。这种合作确保了研究的适当共同设计，结果的有效传播，以及基于证据的解决方案和政策的共同创造。英国特许采购与供应学会是另一个伙伴，通过其在世界各地的20万名专业采购员，确保传播结果和建议，就如何在处理现代奴隶制问题的同时处理其他商业压力问题进行更广泛的辩论。

As the devastating and complex impacts of Covid-19 began to emerge across the world, it became clear that the disease did not affect all people equally. People with certain underlying health conditions, the elderly and BAME communities, were disproportionately affected and faced worse health outcomes. Social inequities amplified health inequities as many could not work from home and those in illegal forced labour do not benefit from government aid for workers. Economic disparities too have emerged with many firms experiencing huge surges in demand, while others collapse or struggle to survive. The business impacts in turn increase the risk of exploitation of vulnerable workers. While business leaders focus on securing supplies to resume production and trade, the commercial imperatives for low-cost, rapid sourcing are prioritised. In this environment, there is a significant risk that due diligence related to modern slavery is deprioritised. This research employs a large-scale quantitative survey of supply chain professionals and business leaders of large firms (turnover of £36 million and above) in the UK who fall under the UK Modern Slavery (2015) Act. The results identify if, and how, the new Covid-19 business landscape affects firms' commitments to tackle modern slavery in corporate supply chains. The tensions emerging from Covid-19 creates two opposing scenarios. On the one hand, the impact of supply chain disruptions may concentrate attention on the firms' outcomes rather than a broader concern for social issues. Risks may be increased through new suppliers with where poorly analysed supply chain practices; contracting with new suppliers with logistical capacity rather than product expertise; increased subcontracting; and the furloughing of staff reducing firms' due diligence resources. In addition, in April 2020, the UK government relaxed the firms' obligations to publish modern slavery statements in response to the pandemic, potentially creating a perfect storm for de-prioritisation. Yet, on the other hand, there are opportunities. The counter scenario is that Covid-19 has forced firms to examine their extended supply chains in more detail than they would normally to understand potential commercial vulnerabilities. In parallel, the impact of the pandemic has led to a rallying call for firms to consider the social implications of their activities on staff, workers, customers, and their communities. More active management of supply chains beyond tier one suppliers, necessitated by the Covid-19 crisis, therefore may present opportunities for firms to uncover the detail required to tackle modern slavery in a holistic, systemic, and human-centred approach. This research explores how decision makers are responding to the inherent tensions between cost/resource pressures and social obligations. The insights will enable the start of an evidence-based dialogue with our research partners: The Ethical Trading Initiative and Fifty-Eight who work on the ground with individuals and organisations to combat modern slavery through training and education; Crown Commercial Service the buying arm for the UK's central government and wider public sector; the Home Office's Modern Slavery Unit; and the two academic partners, the University of Liverpool's Management School and the University of Nottingham's Rights Lab. This collaboration ensures appropriate co-design of the research, effective dissemination of the results, and co-creation of evidence-based solutions and policy. The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) are an additional partner to ensure dissemination of results and recommendations through their membership of 200,000 professional buyers across the world, to engage a wider debate on how modern slavery can be tackled in parallel with other commercial pressures.