London, 4 November 2026 — Today, the UK Government has announced the outcome of the Responsible Business Conduct review. Anti-Slavery International welcomes the UK Government’s announcement of a new mandatory human rights due diligence law and the introduction of a prohibition of products made with forced labour.
“We welcome the Government’s recognition that the current Modern Slavery Act’s supply chain transparency requirements are insufficient,” said Craig Bradshaw, Business and Human Rights Manager at Anti-Slavery International. “Comprehensive, dedicated and robust legislation is essential to ensure UK supply chains are free from forced labour and other human rights abuses.”
For years, Anti-Slavery International, alongside coalition partners such as the Corporate Justice Coalition, lived experience groups, businesses and trade unions, have been at the forefront of campaigning for mandatory human rights due diligence legislation and prohibiting products made with forced labour. Today’s announcement is a culmination of a longstanding campaign for stronger corporate accountability legislation.
The new law will require businesses in scope to identify and address human rights risks in their operations and supply chains, while import bans will see goods produced with forced labour withdrawn. These measures will help ensure that UK consumers and businesses are not complicit in exploitative practices overseas.
While today’s announcement is momentous, Anti-Slavery International encourages the UK Government to go further. Environmental protection and human rights and inextricably linked. Excluding environmental harms risks a fragmented approach to due diligence.
The government must also ensure that all British companies are covered under this legislation and that any prohibition on goods made with forced labour apply across the entirety of the UK. The government’s current proposal to apply the EU Forced Labour Regulation in Northern Ireland but not the rest of the UK will perpetuate the patchwork regulation and create legal divergence that actually makes lives of businesses more complicated and leaves UK consumers vulnerable to products made with forced labour.
Anti-Slavery International is committed to working closely with the UK Government to ensure that it, and businesses are doing their part in preventing forced labour in their supply chains.
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Notes to editors:
- Read the Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade’s statement here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-11-04/hlws462
- Read Anti-Slavery International’s policy paper calling for a Business, Human Rights and Environment Act: https://www.antislavery.org/reports/a-call-for-a-uk-business-human-rights-and-environment-act/
- Anti-Slavery International has also been calling for a ban on products made with forced labour, read our policy paper with recommendations on what this law should include: https://www.antislavery.org/reports/a-call-for-uk-ban-on-products-tainted-with-forced-labour/