What BS 25700 Means for Modern Slavery Risk Management

What is the BS 25700 standard?

The British standard, BS 25700 – Organisational response to addressing modern slavery risks – guidance launched in 2023.  

The standard provides practical guidance on how to manage the risk of modern slavery in your operations, supply chain and wider operating environment. It adopts a risk-based approach to help organisations understand how to prevent, identify, manage, mitigate and remediate the risks of modern slavery, going beyond legal and statutory compliance.

Modern slavery impacts every country, company and supply chain globally, with  50 million people estimated to be living in slavery – an estimated 122,000 of these right here in the UK.

What does BS 25700 cover?

Key themes included in the guidance are:

• Leadership and commitment – at the heart of any effective strategy is strong leadership. The guidance focuses on:      
  • Modern slavery policy – think of this as your company’s commitment to fight slavery. It should clearly what your organisation stands for, with top  management setting the tone and direction. 
  • Governance – this is about walking the talk. It’s about leadership and demonstrating how modern slavery risk management is integrated into relevant organisational activities. It’s not just words – it’s about taking real action.
  • Roles & responsibilities – everyone has a role to play, from the CEO to the newest employee. It’s about how accountability for relevant roles related to managing the risk of modern slavery is assigned at all levels of an organisation.

• Risk assessment – how to identify, analyse and evaluate modern slavery risks. By identifying and prioritising the risks upfront (both risks to your business and to people – including those deep in the supply chain), you can focus efforts on managing and mitigating the most significant impacts.

• Support – this is about identifying and providing the necessary resources for effective modern slavery risk management. This could include development of competency frameworks, offering training and professional developing, IT solutions, implementing supplier development programs, participating in collaborative forums and conducting social audits.

• Procurement and supply chain management – how to manage and mitigate modern slavery risks throughout the procurement process – from planning and sourcing through to ongoing contract / supplier management (the latter is the bit that is so often forgotten).

• Recruitment and employment relations – how to apply responsible recruitment processes to help manage and mitigate the risk of modern slavery and labour exploitation. This is crucial for protecting vulnerable workers.

• Recording and reporting – how to record, report and assess the effectiveness of modern slavery risk management processes and outcomes, helping you to track progress and pinpoint areas for improvement.

• Responding to modern slavery – how to establish and communicate clear channels for reporting modern slavery concerns, ensuring that victims can safely voice issues and access effective remediation and support.
  • Remediation, often overlooked in modern slavery due diligence (businesses tend to focus on policies and procedures, forgetting that people sit at the heart of this) is critical for identifying and stopping modern slavery, as well as prevent future occurrences. Effective remediation must prioritise the needs and concerns of victims. This may include provision of medial or mental health support, reimbursing recruitment fees, issuing apologies, or providing monetary compensation.
  • Effective remediation is not about knee jerk reactions and cutting ties with suppliers. It’s about companies using their leverage to effect change in business practices that may cause or contribute to modern slavery. This approach aims to address the root causes of exploitation and create lasting improvements in working conditions, rather than simply displacing the problem elsewhere and abandoning the victims.

Why align with BS 25700?

Companies that adopt the BS 25700 standard will benefit from a head start in aligning their practices with international expectations.  An international standard on modern slavery, ISO 37200 is due to launch in 2026. It will provide organisations with a comprehensive framework for managing the risks associated with human trafficking and forced labour, including prevention, identification and mitigation strategies. The BS 25700  is set to be adopted into the new ISO 37200 by June 2026, so companies that align with BS 25700 are laying the groundwork for easy transition to the global standard.

Businesses that align with BS 25700 can better manage modern slavery risks and demonstrate their commitment to ethical practices and social responsibility.. This proactive approach not only mitigates legal and reputational risks but also aligns with international best practice frameworks like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Our international supply chains, and in many cases, our own operations will be impacted by the growing wave of global due diligence legislation, such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). CSDDD requires companies to prevent, identify, manage, mitigate, and remediate modern slavery risks across their operations and supply chains. With the CSDDD imposing stringent requirements, including accountability for supply chain impacts and potential fines of up to 5% of net worldwide turnover for non-compliance, BS 25700 provides a robust framework to meet these obligations.

Alignment with BS 25700 enhances reputation, helps build more transparent and resilient supply chains, builds customer trust, and attracts socially responsible investors such as First Sentier, Rathbones and CCLA. First Sentier has developed frameworks to assess and mitigate these risks, while CCLA’s “Find it, Fix it, Prevent it” initiative has united investors with trillions in assets to engage companies and influence public policy.

Can my organisation be certified against the standard?

In short – no. BS 25700 is a ‘guidance’ standard – not a requirements standard. Requirements standards consist of rigid checklists, and modern slavery isn’t something we can tackle with a one size fits all, tick box approach.

So, if anyone tells you their organisation is ‘certified’ or ‘accredited’ to BS 25700 – don’t believe them – it’s not possible.

However, an organisation can say they are working in alignment with the BS 25700 framework. Myself and our Action Sustainability modern slavery team regularly conduct evaluations for clients. We explore how the guidance applies to their unique business context, assess their approach to aligning with the standard, and create tailored strategies and action plans, which fit a company’s specific challenges and solutions – going beyond a one-size-fits-all approach.

For more information or to explore how Action Sustainability can support your organisation, please contact our team or you can get in touch with EJ directly here.