SEVEN WAYS TO MAKE YOUR (ETHICAL) VOICE HEARD

1. THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES… No matter where your clothes were made and no matter which brand made them, there’s a high risk of slavery somewhere along the supply chain. As with the collapse of Rana Plaza in 2O13, it is common practice for high-end and budget brands to use the same factories. This means both luxury and inexpensive, fast-fashion brands are often made by the same people, working under the same unsafe or detrimental conditions.

2. CHECK YOUR FAVOURITE BRAND’S WEBSITE FOR A MODERN SLAVERY STATEMENT The Modern Slavery Act was made law in 2O15. If a company has a turnover of more than £36m – most large high-street and high-end brands fall into this category – it must publish a Modern Slavery Statement prominently on its website. If you find it difficult to locate this statement, email the company asking why there’s no link to it on the home page. It’s against the law not to have one.

3. BE VIGILANT Slavery’s shadow is cast over virtually every industry today, from nail bars to jewellery and mobile-phone batteries. In the UK, a mattress manufacturer, a hotel and a tarmacking company have all been prosecuted for modern slavery offences. Report suspicious activity to the police or the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (gla.gov.uk), or your local council’s Environmental Health department.

4. TAKE CONTROL Choose very carefully where you spend your money. Slavery is not only harmful to the physical and mental health of the victims, but also contributes to lower wages in the wider population. If we buy from companies that do not follow the law, we encourage the lowest standards and reward the ‘bad faith actors’.

5. FIND OUT WHERE THE HEAD OFFICE AND/ OR FACTORIES OF BRANDS THAT APPEAR TO BE BREAKING THE LAW ARE Contact the MP(s) for that area, letting them know the company is potentially acting illegally. If an email message doesn’t get a response, try tweeting them, tagging their Twitter handle. Politicians pick up on important issues via Twitter, and bringing this subject to their attention publicly may encourage others to take note.

6. FINDING THE RIGHT POLITICIAN TO CONTACT CAN BE TRICKY You can search for relevant MPs via theyworkforyou.com. You can also find an MP’s voting record, arranged by subject, so you can see if they are sympathetic to certain issues. Check you’re emailing at a time when parliament is sitting to maximise your chance of a response.

7. IT’S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNISE GOOD PRACTICE Tweet and spread the word about brands that wholeheartedly support efforts to eliminate slavery in supply chains, wherever they are in the world.

“IF WE BUY FROM COMPANIES that DO NOT FOLLOW THE LAW, WE ENCOURAGE the LOWEST STANDARDS ”