Tackling slavery in the supply chain

Has the Government’s supplier code of conduct missed a trick in tackling slavery in the supply chain?

The Supplier Code of Conduct, published recently by the UK Government’s Commercial Function contains several reasons to be optimistic. The standards it sets for suppliers to central government on world-class innovation, greater inclusion of SMEs, zero-tolerance of harassment and greater transparency on conflicts of interest are commendable. 

However, its section on modern slavery could leave key stakeholders underwhelmed. 

In In-Procurement Magazine, Michael Pollitt asks why the Government Supplier Code of Conduct only asks for compliance with “all applicable human rights laws”, including the Modern Slavery Act, rather than insisting on the best practice set out in its own Practical Guide on Transparency in Supply Chains.

Has the Government’s Supplier Code of Conduct missed a trick in tackling slavery in the supply chain?

Posted May 2018