Past Event Overview

The introduction of Australia’s Modern Slavery Act 2018 (MS Act) has forced the need for greater transparency in our supply chains. All companies operating in Australian and generating above $100 million are now required to assess, address and report on the risks of modern slavery within their operations and supply chains. And businesses that are not required to report under the MS Act are increasingly being asked by their customers (that are reporting entities) to implement similar programs.  This is an issue businesses can no longer ignore.

While compliance with the MS Act may appear to be a timely and costly process, there are advantages for those taking a proactive approach.

During this webinar Heidi Roberts, Partner and Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope, Head of Business and Human Rights at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, provided insights on what modern slavery can look like in reality, and where risks of modern slavery typically arise in Australian supply chains. They also gave ASA members practical guidance on keys risks within the construction, shipping, retail and manufacturing industries, and their related supply chains and how to meet reporting obligations.

Additional issues to be covered included:

• Understanding the legal and human rights framework for addressing risks of modern slavery
• Reporting obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth)
• How to identify risks of modern slavery in operations and supply chains
• Identifying, assessing and managing risks as an ongoing practice (including for smaller companies who may not have the resources of multinationals)
• Experiences of reporting entities in drafting their modern slavery statements
• How business can benefit from a proactive approach