Modern slavery: Actions speak louder than words

The international nature of the fresh produce industry means working with people and partners across the globe. At MWW, we recognise the importance of taking modern slavery and labour exploitation seriously and working proactively to help protect the people within our supply chain.

Turning intentions into action

Recently, Louise Swindale, HR Manager, and Gurjeet Cheema, Head of Operations, attended the Modern Slavery Intelligence Network Conference in Cambridgeshire. The event brought together industry leaders, growers, manufacturers, retailers, labour providers and enforcement agencies to discuss how businesses such as ours can work together to tackle modern slavery and labour exploitation.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Action Speaks Louder Than Words” and focused on turning intentions into practical action. The idea was to challenge businesses to do more than just compliance and audits and to place a greater focus on worker welfare and intelligence sharing. By working together, businesses can help identify risks, protect vulnerable workers and drive meaningful progress.

The conference also featured thought-provoking sessions from industry experts including Dame Sara Thornton, former UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Giles Bolton from the Ethical Trading Initiative, and representatives from the Fair Work Agency, STOP THE TRAFFIK and law enforcement agencies.

Working together to protect workers

Louise and Gurjeet came back from the event with plenty to think about. They spent the day with partners we work with every week and heard first-hand about the risks that are emerging across our sector. Just as useful was hearing how others are responding, and where we can do better. It reinforced the important role every organisation plays in protecting vulnerable workers and maintaining high ethical standards throughout the supply chain.

As you would expect, a key theme from the conference was that protecting workers requires sustained attention. Training, current knowledge and cooperation all help businesses recognise concerns and respond effectively. No business can solve these challenges alone. Real progress comes when customers, suppliers, industry bodies and employers work collectively, share intelligence and remain committed to doing the right thing.

Our commitment to responsible employment

For us, tackling modern slavery and labour exploitation is of vital importance as an organisation. Doing the right thing has been a core pillar of our business from the day it was founded, and in today this is more important than ever as customers and partner businesses place greater importance on ethical employment practices and responsible sourcing.

Our responsibility goes beyond meeting requirements. It means continuing to learn, working collaboratively and taking practical steps to support a safe, fair and responsible working environment. For us, taking care of colleagues, maintaining the trust of customers and working constructively with our supply chain partners remain central to our commitment to responsible employment and ethical business practices.

We would like to thank all contributors for hosting an insightful and engaging event. The conference provided valuable learning, strengthened partnerships and reaffirmed our commitment to helping tackle modern slavery and labour exploitation through continued collaboration across our industry.