Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group Holds Successful 2024 Symposium

The Modern Slavery and Social Sustainability Research Group (MSSS RG) held its second annual symposium on July 10 2024, with a diverse array of participants from businesses, NGOs, the Welsh Government, various academic institutions, and PhD students, both in-person and online.

Dr Maryam Lotfi and Dr Anna Skeels, Co-directors from Cardiff University’s Business School and is Social Science Research Centre, SPARK, opened the symposium, highlighting the unique perspectives brought together by this research group. They emphasized the importance of building a strong reputation for Cardiff University through cutting-edge research on modern slavery and social sustainability and the positive impact of their work. They also stressed the value of engaging non-academic partners and fostering an open, supportive community that includes stakeholders like The Salvation Army, the Human Trafficking Foundation, and Social Care Wales.

An expert panel, comprising Josh Vuglar from the Welsh Government, Anthony Hanley from Alcumus and Paska Moore from The Salvation Army, provided insights into the current modern slavery landscape. They discussed trends, political shifts, challenges, and research opportunities in this field.

Josh Vuglar, Head of Modern Slavery and Workers’ Rights at the Welsh Government highlighted that we are amidst challenging times for addressing modern slavery, which has dropped down the political agenda. He spoke about the potential impact of new UK Government legislation, such as the Illegal Migration Act and the Nationality and Borders Act, and the Welsh Government’s efforts in addressing these challenges in Wales.

Anthony Hanley, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Compliance at Alcumus pointed out the lack of effective legislation to support businesses in tackling modern slavery. He called for a change in direction and emphasized the need for stronger repercussions to break the cycle of complacency in modern slavery statements.

Paska Moore, Research Lead on Anti-trafficking and Modern Slavery at The Salvation Army, discussed the growing use of technology for exploitation and the extent of digital inclusion. She warned about the risks of modern slavery being hidden in plain sight through online networks and highlighted the need for collaboration in tackling these challenges, with verification work playing a crucial role.

The afternoon sessions saw attendees working in small groups to map out their expectations from the MSSS RG and to brainstorm ideas for future activity and strategic development of the Research Group.

Feedback received on the symposium was overwhelmingly positive. One attendee noted: ‘The symposium helped me engage in conversations across different viewpoints from government, businesses, and NGOs. It allowed me to understand the barriers to combating modern slavery and to think about new ideas and opportunities.’

The day was filled with enthusiasm and energy, leaving participants with numerous ideas for the research group’s future development. Anna and Maryam expressed their gratitude to all participants and panel members for their valuable contributions on the day.

Dr Maryam Lotfi: Senior lecturer in sustainable supply Chain Management and Co-director of MSSS RG

Dr Anna Skeels: Research Fellow, SPARK and Co-director of MSSS RG