Modern slavery is a grave and pervasive crime, and society has a collective and urgent duty to address it. A decade on from the UK’s landmark legislation, we now have a vital opportunity to strengthen our global leadership in the fight against modern slavery. Standards offer businesses a practical way to demonstrate their commitment to ethical practices. BSI’s Modern Slavery Standard helps organisations navigate reporting requirements and identify areas for meaningful action. Its recognition in government guidance marks a significant milestone, one that will help drive real change across global supply chains and accelerate efforts to eradicate modern slavery.
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive Officer, British Standards Institution
24 April 2025
King's Business School researcher's work influences new government guidance on addressing modern slavery
New guidance from the UK Government on the Modern Slavery Act 2015 highlights the British Standards Institution's standard on organisational responses to modern slavery, which was developed with input from Dr Gabriela Gutierrez-Huerter O', Senior Lecturer in International Management.
Drawing on her research into how attitudes towards the underlying causes of labour exploitation influence the way that organisations respond to it, Dr Gutierrez Huerter O was part of the technical advisory group for the British Standard Institution’s BS 25700. This standard, believed to be the first of its kind globally, gives organisations guidance on how to manage the risk of modern slavery in their operations, supply chains and wider operating environment.
While it is intended for any organisation, BS 25700 provides a useful framework for organisations large enough to be required by the Modern Slavery Act to publish an annual statement on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their business and supply chains.
Calls for greater ambition in tackling modern slavery
In October 2024, the UK Parliament’s Modern Slavery Act Committee concluded that the UK’s response to modern slavery “has not kept up with the advances of other nations”. Dr Gutierrez-Huerter O’ and the British Standards Institution (BSI) have been at the forefront of efforts to change that, advocating for more widespread adoption of BS 25700 through the ‘Social Responsibility Across Supply Chain Initiative’. The initiative was developed in collaboration with Melissa Eisdell, Senior Engagement Lead of the BSI's Flagship Standards Programme.
Dr Gutierrez Huerter O’ recently submitted written evidence on the early impact of BS 25700 to the UK Parliament Joint Committee on Human Rights’ Inquiry into forced labour in UK supply chains. Scott Steedman CBE (Director-General of the British Standards Institution) provided oral evidence.
I’m proud to see the government recommending BSI 25700 as a source of best practice on eliminating modern slavery. Its founding assumption is that businesses are not powerless when it comes to influencing their supply chains; the more businesses that adopt it, the greater the change
Dr Gutierrez-Huerter O'
Listen to our podcast: Standing up to modern slavery with the new standard BS25700
In this story
Senior Lecturer in International Management