Business Accountability Standards Are Increasing

In the immediate term, with all of the various transparency legislation, one can expect that architecture, construction, and engineering firms will be affected either by having to file disclosures themselves, or by having suppliers who are big enough to have disclosure requirements. Filing firms whose public disclosures and private actions are aligned will develop a reputation for ethical business practices that will inure to those who use their products or services.  

1. Setting up a supply chain risk management system

Implementing effective management systems are the foundation for combating trafficking in your supply chain, as they are based on the realistic assumption that change is an incremental process that requires routine monitoring, adaptation, and a clear set of performance metrics. Fostering improvement over time requires a systems approach to risk management known as ‘Identify, Evaluate, Control, and Monitor.’ This is a set of processes that a company should implement to identify where there are risks of human trafficking in its supply chains in order to address identified issues, implement enduring solutions, and monitor supplier performance over time.

2. Modern Slavery Acts compliance for large companies

Those who must file disclosures themselves will have to adopt and execute policies and procedures to make their disclosures accurate, or risk regulatory or criminal exposure. 

3. Align with ethical companies and slave-free suppliers

Those who work with firms who themselves are required to file disclosures and/or have received third-party certifications will have the advantage of filtering for suppliers and potential partners who have lowered their exposure to forced labor 

4. Require products with certifications, and standards

While the construction materials supply chain is in early days of moving toward the slavery-free ethos called for in the Design for Freedom Movement, there are currently several existing certifications or reporting mechanisms that may shed light onto modern slavery risk.  None of these are full-on certifications that a product is “slavery-free.”

5. Track imports

In the immediate term, with all of the various transparency legislation, one can expect that architecture, construction, and engineering firms will be affected either by having to file disclosures themselves, or by having suppliers who are big enough to have disclosure requirements. Those who must file disclosures themselves will have to adopt and execute policies and procedures to make their disclosures accurate, or risk regulatory or criminal exposure. Those who work with firms who themselves are required to file disclosures will have the advantage of assessing potential suppliers or partners for their anti-slavery activities. Filing firms whose public disclosures and private actions are aligned will develop a reputation for ethical business practices that will inure to those who use their products or services.