The UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 imposes specific obligations on businesses sourcing from global supply chains. For apparel brands — where supply chains extend across multiple countries and production stages — understanding and complying with the Act is both a legal requirement and an increasingly important part of brand credibility.
Who is Affected by the Modern Slavery Act?
Any commercial organisation that: supplies goods or services in the UK, has an annual turnover of £36 million or more, and operates or has a supply chain anywhere in the world — is required to publish an annual Modern Slavery Act transparency statement.
Smaller brands below the £36 million threshold are not legally required to publish a statement — but UK retail buyers increasingly require their suppliers (at all scales) to demonstrate supply chain due diligence as a condition of trade. The Act has effectively set a market expectation beyond its legal scope.
What the Statement Must Cover
A compliant Modern Slavery Act statement must cover the steps taken to ensure modern slavery is not taking place in your supply chain or business. It must be approved by the board and signed by a director. It should cover:
- Your organisation's structure and supply chains
- Policies in relation to slavery and human trafficking
- Due diligence processes in your supply chain
- Risk assessment and management
- Key performance indicators measuring effectiveness
- Training available to staff
How SEDEX and BSCI Support Your Compliance
Sourcing from a SEDEX SMETA 4-Pillar and BSCI certified manufacturer is one of the most credible forms of supply chain due diligence available. The SMETA audit independently verifies that your manufacturer's facility complies with labour standards that directly address modern slavery risks — no forced labour, no child labour, fair wages, reasonable working hours, freedom of association.
When a third-party auditor has independently verified these standards, your statement can reference the audit findings directly. This is substantially more credible than self-certification by your manufacturer.
Request your manufacturer's SEDEX SMETA audit report and cite it specifically in your Modern Slavery Act statement. "Our manufacturing partner holds an active SEDEX SMETA 4-Pillar audit conducted by [auditor name] on [date], available on request" is a credible, substantiated statement.
Beyond the Statement: Building a Genuinely Compliant Supply Chain
A Modern Slavery Act statement is a reporting requirement, not a compliance strategy. Brands serious about ethical supply chains go further:
- Require active SEDEX registration from all tier 1 suppliers
- Conduct or commission SMETA audits of key facilities
- Extend due diligence to tier 2 suppliers (fabric mills, yarn spinners)
- Establish grievance mechanisms for workers in their supply chain
- Review audit findings and require corrective action plans for non-conformities
The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
The EU CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive), phased in from 2024, extends mandatory supply chain due diligence obligations to large EU companies and companies operating in EU markets. For apparel brands selling into Europe, the CSDDD creates additional obligations beyond the UK Modern Slavery Act. Sourcing from certified manufacturers is the most practical foundation for both UK and EU compliance simultaneously.