Understanding and Governing the Global Business of Forced Labour
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Politics
Abstract
The overall aim of this research is to achieve an in-depth understanding of how forced labour (and overlapping practices like slavery and human trafficking) operate in global supply chains. In other words, to understand how criminal individuals or organisations profit from formal industry, either through deliberate processes of human trafficking or by the exploitation of already vulnerable workers. Key questions include: What factors create 'demand' for forced labour within supply chains? What are the pathways that allow forced labour access to formal industry? How do perpetrators of corruption and illegality escape detection by the authorities, and by the retail companies 'leading' these supply chains? The new and important evidence base generated through this project will contribute to ongoing academic and policy debates on the causes of, and solutions to, forced labour in global commodity production.
The research questions will be investigated through a range of qualitative methods including elite interviews with key informants and ethnographic field research among workers themselves. Supply chain analysis will be used to understand the firm-to-firm dynamics of forced labour along each of the five stages of the supply chain (raw material, component, manufacture, distribution and retail). The research will focus on cocoa and tea sectors dominated by UK retail companies; both sectors have widespread reports of forced labour, high levels of subcontracting, and industry-led anti-slavery initiatives. While there are media reports and anecdotal evidence to suggest that forced labour is thriving in the cocoa and tea industries, to date, there is no robust research on the business models that give rise to it.
The project will provide high impact, multidisciplinary research for a wide-ranging audience, including government, civil society, and business organisations seeking to combat human trafficking, forced labour, and modern slavery. It will produce recommendations for how recent 'Anti-Slavery' legislation can be enhanced to combat the global business of forced labour. It will also provide recommendations and 'best practices' to strengthen existing business strategies for detecting and preventing forced labour within global operations. The research findings will be disseminated widely to the public, through online newspaper articles and regular media output (high quality press and radio). This will allow the specific academic themes of the project to be translated into broader topics for debate and discussion.
The research questions will be investigated through a range of qualitative methods including elite interviews with key informants and ethnographic field research among workers themselves. Supply chain analysis will be used to understand the firm-to-firm dynamics of forced labour along each of the five stages of the supply chain (raw material, component, manufacture, distribution and retail). The research will focus on cocoa and tea sectors dominated by UK retail companies; both sectors have widespread reports of forced labour, high levels of subcontracting, and industry-led anti-slavery initiatives. While there are media reports and anecdotal evidence to suggest that forced labour is thriving in the cocoa and tea industries, to date, there is no robust research on the business models that give rise to it.
The project will provide high impact, multidisciplinary research for a wide-ranging audience, including government, civil society, and business organisations seeking to combat human trafficking, forced labour, and modern slavery. It will produce recommendations for how recent 'Anti-Slavery' legislation can be enhanced to combat the global business of forced labour. It will also provide recommendations and 'best practices' to strengthen existing business strategies for detecting and preventing forced labour within global operations. The research findings will be disseminated widely to the public, through online newspaper articles and regular media output (high quality press and radio). This will allow the specific academic themes of the project to be translated into broader topics for debate and discussion.
Planned Impact
I am conducting this research to fill an information and policy gap around the business demand for forced labour. From the outset, this project has been designed in collaboration with non-academic users. On May 12, 2014, I convened a focus group of 30 policymakers and civil society representatives at the University of Sheffield (UoS) to co-design the project's aims, objectives, and methodology. The project has been expressly designed to directly benefit these groups, as well as others actively involved in formulating and promoting initiatives to address forced labour and modern slavery in the UK and globally, including: a. Businesses seeking to combat forced labour in their supply chains; b. Local and national governments attempting to eradicate forced labour; c. International organisations dedicated to raising labour standards; d. Societies vulnerable to forced labour in the UK and the rest of the world.
Impact among three groups will be especially significant, and will be achieved in distinctive and innovative ways:
1. Policy actors. Building on my successful track record of parliamentary engagement with the UK's Draft Modern Slavery Bill, I will collaborate with existing contacts within the Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery to launch the project Report in Parliament. Project advisory board member Matthew Hamlyn (House of Commons) has committed support. The Report will include recommendations for how current UK Anti-Slavery legislation can be enhanced to combat the global business of forced labour, ensuring traction among policy makers. As a result of this research, government agencies will gain knowledge about business drivers and underlying forces which will enhance the efficacy of future public policy.
2. Businesses. In order to ensure impact among businesses, I will: hold an industry-representative focus group in London; produce an industry brief with recommendations and 'best practices' for companies seeking to detect or prevent forced labour within their global operations; present findings at the Retail Industry Leaders Association conference. As a result of this research, UK-based businesses will be able to more effectively predict where and how forced labour might manifest in their supply chains. It will catalyse efforts to modify social auditing practices to focus on portions of the supply chain where forced labour is most likely to occur, and thus contribute to global economic performance. The involvement of Rosey Hurst, Director of the ethical audit firm Impactt, as an advisory board member will help ensure traction among industry.
3. International organisations. The involvement of the ILO, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning United Nations agency dealing with labour issues, as a research and dissemination partner will foster impact among organisations dedicated to raising labour standards in the global economy. Through participation in the project advisory group and dissemination workshops, civil society representatives will co-create knowledge about the measures required to adequately protect victims of forced labour. In addition, by generating new knowledge about the limits of current governance initiatives, this project will facilitate knowledge-driven NGO engagement with policy makers and the public.
In order to achieve these aims, I will mobilize the networks of two UoS research institutes-the Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics and the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute-to which I am affiliated. I also have support from three mentors at the UoS-Professors Nicola Phillips, Andrew Geddes, and Jason Heyes-as well as two outside mentors: Professor David Spatz (Yale University) and Dr. Jean-Marie Kagabo (ILO). Finally, an international mixed practitioner and academic advisory board comprised of leading academics as well as representatives of industry, House of Commons, and the ILO will help ensure the research achieves traction and participation.
Impact among three groups will be especially significant, and will be achieved in distinctive and innovative ways:
1. Policy actors. Building on my successful track record of parliamentary engagement with the UK's Draft Modern Slavery Bill, I will collaborate with existing contacts within the Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery to launch the project Report in Parliament. Project advisory board member Matthew Hamlyn (House of Commons) has committed support. The Report will include recommendations for how current UK Anti-Slavery legislation can be enhanced to combat the global business of forced labour, ensuring traction among policy makers. As a result of this research, government agencies will gain knowledge about business drivers and underlying forces which will enhance the efficacy of future public policy.
2. Businesses. In order to ensure impact among businesses, I will: hold an industry-representative focus group in London; produce an industry brief with recommendations and 'best practices' for companies seeking to detect or prevent forced labour within their global operations; present findings at the Retail Industry Leaders Association conference. As a result of this research, UK-based businesses will be able to more effectively predict where and how forced labour might manifest in their supply chains. It will catalyse efforts to modify social auditing practices to focus on portions of the supply chain where forced labour is most likely to occur, and thus contribute to global economic performance. The involvement of Rosey Hurst, Director of the ethical audit firm Impactt, as an advisory board member will help ensure traction among industry.
3. International organisations. The involvement of the ILO, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning United Nations agency dealing with labour issues, as a research and dissemination partner will foster impact among organisations dedicated to raising labour standards in the global economy. Through participation in the project advisory group and dissemination workshops, civil society representatives will co-create knowledge about the measures required to adequately protect victims of forced labour. In addition, by generating new knowledge about the limits of current governance initiatives, this project will facilitate knowledge-driven NGO engagement with policy makers and the public.
In order to achieve these aims, I will mobilize the networks of two UoS research institutes-the Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics and the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute-to which I am affiliated. I also have support from three mentors at the UoS-Professors Nicola Phillips, Andrew Geddes, and Jason Heyes-as well as two outside mentors: Professor David Spatz (Yale University) and Dr. Jean-Marie Kagabo (ILO). Finally, an international mixed practitioner and academic advisory board comprised of leading academics as well as representatives of industry, House of Commons, and the ILO will help ensure the research achieves traction and participation.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Genevieve LeBaron (Principal Investigator) | |
| Neil Howard (Researcher) |
Publications
Caruana R
(2020)
Modern Slavery in Business: The Sad and Sorry State of a Non-Field
in Business & Society
LEBARON G
(2021)
Wages: An Overlooked Dimension of Business and Human Rights in Global Supply Chains
in Business and Human Rights Journal
Gore E
(2019)
Using social reproduction theory to understand unfree labour
in Capital & Class
LeBaron G
(2017)
Governing Global Supply Chain Sustainability through the Ethical Audit Regime
in Globalizations
LeBaron G
(2021)
The Role of Supply Chains in the Global Business of Forced Labour
in Journal of Supply Chain Management
LeBaron G
(2018)
States and the Political Economy of Unfree Labour
in New Political Economy
Fransen L
(2018)
Big audit firms as regulatory intermediaries in transnational labor governance
in Regulation & Governance
Crane A
(2017)
Governance gaps in eradicating forced labor: From global to domestic supply chains
in Regulation & Governance
Rioux S
(2019)
Capitalism and unfree labor: a review of Marxist perspectives on modern slavery
in Review of International Political Economy
| Description | Summary of Findings Business of Forced Labour There is a coherent pattern of labour exploitation including forced labour at the base of global tea and cocoa supply chains. Tea and cocoa businesses profit from forced labour and exploitation in two main ways: Employers use forced labour to reduce their costs of doing business. Our research uncovers that employers systematically under-pay wages and under-provide legally-mandated essential services for workers. Employers are legally required to provide basic services for tea workers on permanent contracts and their families. However, our study found that 47% of tea workers do not have access to potable water and 26% do not have access to a toilet. Workers also reported being charged by employers for services like electricity but not receiving these. In the cocoa industry, employers seek to cut costs through a complex system of financial calculations, including fines (e.g. for failing to carry out mandatory unpaid labour), fees (e.g. for obtaining a job on a cocoa farm), and deductions (e.g. for costs of inputs like pesticides and safety equipment) to systematically under-pay workers and create situations of debt bondage. In both industries, these widespread forms of exploitation are also sometimes accompanied by physical violence, threats, verbal abuse, and/or sexual violence. Employers use forced labour to generate revenue. In the tea industry, employers seek to generate revenue by lending money or providing services to workers and charging high interest on debts, thus engendering situations of debt bondage. Situations of debt bondage are closely linked to the under-provision of services; most tea workers reported borrowing money to pay for food or medical care (which employers are legally required to provide). In the cocoa industry, employers seek to profit by forcing workers to carry out additional labour beyond the agreed terms and conditions of the work, such as working for free on the employer's other farmlands for periods as long as three months. Failure to perform this involuntary labour results in deductions from the worker's wages, fines, threats, or even dismissal. In both industries, these widespread forms of exploitation are also sometimes accompanied by physical violence, threats, verbal abuse, and/or sexual violence. Workers face severe constraints on their ability to exit exploitative tea plantations and cocoa farms. Although chocolate and tea companies are highly profitable, the tea and cocoa workers at the base of their supply chains are living far below the poverty line and are routinely subjected to abuse. According to the World Bank, the poverty line for lower middle-income countries such as Ghana and India is $3.20 (£2.35) per day. Tea workers' wages in India are as low as 25% of the poverty line amount and cocoa workers' wages are around 30% of the poverty line amount. Producers - tea plantation owners and cocoa farmers - claim they do not receive enough payment for their products to obey labour laws and pay the minimum wage. Gaps in Global Supply Chain Governance Tea and cocoa supply chains are already covered by several prevailing government and industry initiatives to address and prevent forced labour in global supply chains. Our research confirmed that these solutions are falling short of their goals. Ethical certification schemes are largely ineffective in combatting labour exploitation and forced labour in tea and cocoa supply chains. Our study included tea plantations certified by Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, Ethical Tea Partnership, and Trustea, and cocoa producers who are members of the Fairtrade and UTZ certified co-operative, Kuapa Kokoo. These schemes set standards around basic services, fair treatment, wages and debt, health and safety, and workers' rights. However, we found that these standards are routinely violated by employers. Overall, we found that certification had little to no impact on labour standards within the tea industry. Some of the worst cases of exploitation documented within our research occurred on ethically certified plantations. Workers told us that they are instructed to alter their working practices (e.g. in relation to safety equipment) to meet standards during annual audits by certifiers, but are then asked to revert to breaking standards the following day, suggesting that producers are cheating audits and inspections. Most workers in our study did not know whether or not they worked on certified worksites. In cocoa, 95% of workers did not know whether their worksite was certified or not. We also found extensive confusion amongst producers about how certification operates and whether or not they were certified. One producer reported that the labour standards for his farm's certified and non-certified bags of cocoa are the same. Ethical certification schemes tend to contain loopholes that create exceptions related to the most vulnerable workers within each industry. For example, in cocoa, some certifiers do not include hired labour in their assessment standards, that is, workers employed by farm owners to work on a seasonal, contract, or daily basis. As one certifier explained, hired labour in cocoa is 'an area where I would say no standard can really reach as of now'. When interviewed about these gaps and challenges, certifiers repeatedly claimed that their standards do not provide a guarantee that they are being met. According to one certifier, 'there is no guarantee. We don't use the word guarantee'. In this light, the way ethical certification schemes are portrayed to consumers needs to be revisited. |
| Exploitation Route | My findings are being taken forward by businesses and ethical certification organizations, who are interested to address gaps in their efforts to detect and address forced labour. They are also being taken forward by national government actors who are interested to strengthen law, such as the UK Modern Slavery Act. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Retail |
| URL | http://globalbusinessofforcedlabour.ac.uk/report/ |
| Description | There is an important information and policy gap around the business demand for forced labour. The project was expressly designed to directly benefit these groups, as well as others actively involved in formulating and promoting initiatives to address forced labour and modern slavery in the UK and globally, including: a. Businesses seeking to combat forced labour in their supply chains; b. Local and national governments attempting to eradicate forced labour; c. International organisations dedicated to raising labour standards; d. Societies vulnerable to forced labour in the UK and the rest of the world. I will cover four key impacts. First, the UK Government's approach to forced labour has been fundamentally changed resulting in frameworks, initiatives and legislation that better target the root causes. Second, international organisations have invested in building evidence to understand and address the root causes of forced labour in global supply chains, and have embedded my proposed approach within their organisations and G20 governments. Third, ethical certification schemes and NGOs have an improved understanding of, and are better equipped to detect, address and prevent forced labour. Finally, leading tea brands and producers have a better understanding of forced labour risks in their supply chains and have implemented credible measures to reduce these risks. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Government, Democracy and Justice,Retail |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Description | Advising work for UK Department for International Development, new strategy for modern slavery programs and research |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | British Academy & UK DFID, Tackling Slavery in Business scheme |
| Amount | £196,850 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2017 |
| End | 05/2019 |
| Description | Global Research Challenges Fund |
| Amount | £130,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/P006906/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2017 |
| End | 06/2018 |
| Description | SSHRC Partnership Grant (as Co-Investigator, PI = Peter Klein) |
| Amount | $2,500,000 (CAD) |
| Organisation | Government of Canada |
| Department | SSHRC - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Canada |
| Start | 04/2018 |
| End | 07/2025 |
| Title | Elite Interviews |
| Description | We conducted interviews with industry and government leaders in 2017, to better understand how anti-slavery policies and initiatives operate on the ground, recent innovation, and ongoing opportunities and challenges in improving the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility initiatives (eg. ethical certification, auditing, and sustainability codes of conduct). Interviews lasted between 30-60 minutes and were audio recorded. Interview data will be collected and safeguarded according to rigorous ethical protocols and will be anonymized unless the interviewee requests attribution. The results of this research will be published in academic journal articles as well as industry and policy briefs. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This database sheds light into research questions 3 & 4: How effective are corporate social responsibility initiatives (including certification and codes of conduct) in combatting the business of forced labour?; and How could existing public and private 'anti-slavery' initiatives be strengthened to more effectively combat the business of forced labour? |
| Title | Interviews and survey with tea and cocoa workers |
| Description | We are in the midst of completing a new database that will shed light into the labour conditions of tea and cocoa workers in India and Ghana. The research design underpinning this database combines multiple qualitative methods to shed light into associated research questions, as well as triangulation methods to consolidate and validate research findings. This database is designed to build a fine-grained understanding of how forced labour operates in the tea and cocoa sectors, focusing on sites in India and Ghana. It sheds light into research questions 1-3: 1. Where, why, and how does forced labour manifest in legitimate industry?; 2. What cost structures, revenue streams, and resources characterise the business models of forced labour deployed within chocolate and tea commodity chains?; 3. Who are the perpetrators of forced labour within the cocoa and tea industries and what is the modus operandi of these individuals/organizations?. This database has five key components: a) Pilot studies in India and Ghana; b) Survey and ethnographic research among workers in India; c) Survey and ethnographic research among workers in Ghana; d) Elite interviews in India; and e) Elite interviews in Ghana. Data collection is currently in progress. The pilot studies in India and Ghana are complete. The survey (N=1000) and ethnographic research in India and Ghana are underway. The interviews are also under way, with 45 of 120 complete, and transcription underway. A coding framework is in place. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Database is now complete. |
| Title | Mapping and analysis of cocoa and tea supply chains |
| Description | The knowledge built up in this database will provide the foundation for our understanding of how forced labour operates within these sectors, and thus shed essential light into research questions 1 and 2: Where, why, and how does forced labour manifest in legitimate industry?; and What cost structures, revenue streams, and resources characterize the business models of forced labour deployed within chocolate and tea commodity chains? This WP has three key components: a) supply chain mapping using secondary data; b) the construction of a database using NVivo; and c) preliminary interviews with experts. Components b) and c) are complete and component a) is in progress. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | None applicable this year; database is in progress. |
| Description | International Labour Organization |
| Organisation | International Labour Organization (ILO) |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | As described in my grant proposal, the International Labour Organization (Geneva) are an impact collaborator for this project. I have contributed to their work on labour standards in global supply chains by giving input on draft initiatives and reports, through informal discussion with staff, and by presenting at their conferences in Geneva. |
| Collaborator Contribution | To date, the International Labour Organization have advised on the project methodology and provided introductions that have helped gain access to research participants for interviews. Field offices in India and Ghana have advised on field work in those countries. |
| Impact | Yes, this collaboration is multi-disciplinary. The International Labour Organization staff are comprised of statisticians, policy advisors, lawyers, and other professionals. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | University of Amsterdam Research Collaboration |
| Organisation | University of Amsterdam |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have launched a partnership with the Political Economy and Transnational Governance Research Group at the University of Amsterdam, to explore data sharing and methodological innovation to inform my project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | My partners at the University of Amsterdam, including Professors Brian Burgoon, Daniel Mugge, Luc Fransen, Frank Takes, and Eelke Heemskerk have visited Sheffield to explore methodological innovation in political economy, including discussion of possible new methods for my project, including Social Network Analysis, Process Tracing, and QCA. In October 2016, my partners will host myself and colleagues at the University of Amsterdam for a workshop on labour standards in global supply chains. |
| Impact | I have secured £10,000 from the University of Sheffield International Mobility Scheme towards this partnership, and £20,000 in follow-on funding from the University of Sheffield Faculty of Social Sciences to continue the partnership until 2018. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Yale University Working Group on Modern Slavery |
| Organisation | Yale University |
| Department | Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of my ESRC research, I was asked to launch and Co-Convene the Yale University Working Group on Modern Slavery. This working group brings together leading academics from universities across the US and Europe to share and strengthen our individual research projects, lead the field, and develop collaborations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Yale University's Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition will convene and host the Working Group twice a year and perform all administrative support associated with its activities, under the supervision of Professor David Blight, the Director of the Gilder Lehrman Center and Class of 1954 Professor of American History at Yale. |
| Impact | The collaboration is multi-disciplinary and involves history, law, political science, sociology, management studies, and cultural studies. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Advising work, Department for International Development, Strategy on Modern Slavery |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I have been invited by the UK Department of International Development to advise on the development of their new strategy on modern slavery. This has taken the form of extensive commentary and written exchange on draft policy documents and in-person discussions and meetings at Whitehall in London. My advice is directly informed by my research on forced labour under my ESRC grant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| Description | Advisor to Why Slavery |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | I advised The Why Foundation on their new Why Slavery? film series (currently in production). Produced by leading national broadcasters including CNN, BBC, CBC, and 70+ others, these films will be released to audience of 750 million people in 2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://thewhy.dk/blog/2016/04/28/why-slavery/ |
| Description | BBC Business profile and interview on research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | The BBC Business section published a profile on my research, titled 'Slavery Checks Not Fit for Purpose at UK Firms, Says Report.' I also spoke about the research in a radio interview with BBC Sheffield on 12 September 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41220957 |
| Description | BBC research profile, 'Slavery Checks Not Fit for Purpose at UK Firms, Report Says.' BBC Business, 11 September 2017. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | The BBC published an extensive profile of my research as a front page story, quoting me and questioning whether businesses should change their practices. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41220957 |
| Description | British Academy Summer Soiree |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I was a presenter at the British Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Soiree, attended by over 1000 guests ranging from policymakers to distinguished fellows of the British Academy. My presentation focused on methodological challenges in the social scientific study of forced labour. As a result of my presentation, I was asked to meet with the Home Office regarding methodological techniques to estimate forced labour in supply chains. I also received a number of requests for film and media interviews. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.britac.ac.uk/soiree2016 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Royal Opera House |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was invited by the Royal Opera House to view their production of Manon Lescaut and reflect on its relevance to modern slavery. After discussion with the Royal Opera House staff, I wrote a journalistic article entitled 'Contemporary truths in Manon Lescaut: a powerful glimpse into modern slavery' which was published on the Royal Opera House website. I am told that the article attracted interest in the production and discussion about modern slavery. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.roh.org.uk/news/contemporary-truths-in-manon-lescaut-a-powerful-glimpse-into-modern-slave... |
| Description | Daily Mail coverage of research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | An article was published about my research in the Daily Mail. It is called ''Ethical' Tea Farms Accused of Abusing Their Workers.' By Colin Fernandez, 2 June 2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Forbes profile on ESRC research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Forbes magazine ran a profile on my research, entitled 'Supply Chain Audits Work for Corporations, but not the Planet, Says New Report,' written by Jonathan Webb. The Forbes story sparked debate and several invitations to share my research with policy and business audiences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jwebb/2017/01/16/supply-chain-audits-work-for-corporations-but-not-the-... |
| Description | House of Lords event with Baroness Lola Young and tea industry leaders |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Senior figures from the UK tea industry recently met with SPERI Director Professor Genevieve LeBaron at a private House of Lords roundtable event to discuss the findings of her Global Business of Forced Labour project. Professor LeBaron presented her research findings at the session on Thursday, February 7, which was hosted by Baroness Young of Hornsey who is leading parliamentary work in this area. The discussion focused on how to prevent and address forced labour in tea supply chains and how industry could move beyond social auditing and certification. Professor LeBaron's research included extensive fieldwork on tea plantations in Assam and Kerala where violation of major auditing and certification scheme standards were found to be widespread. The Global Business of Forced Labour project was a major two-year international research study funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and led by Professor LeBaron. The project investigated forced labour in global agricultural supply chains, focusing on case studies of cocoa and tea supply chains. The team of researchers at Sheffield uncovered patterns of forced labour in tea supply chains and the investigated the effectiveness of key business and government initiatives to combat it. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://speri.dept.shef.ac.uk/2019/02/11/house-of-lords-tea-industry-event/ |
| Description | Human Trafficking Risk Template & Assent Compliance Webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I spoke about my ESRC research as part of a webinar hosted by Assent Compliance and the Human Trafficking Risk Template initiative, which included hundreds of industry representatives, including from Kellogg, Ford, Xerox, Merck, Boeing, Mattel, Walgreens, and Microsoft. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://525887.hs-sites.com/webinar-htrt-strt-launch?utm_content=buffer1e369&utm_medium=social&utm_so... |
| Description | Interview on Yale MacMillan Report |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed by Marilyn Wilkes for Yale University's MacMillan Report, a one-on-one interview format broadcast that "showcase the innovative work that the Yale faculty affiliated with the MacMillan Center are doing, and to share this impressive body of research with the Yale community and the world." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx1Vmc1T8_Y&t=1s |
| Description | Interviewed by Ed Cummings for The Evening Standard and The Independent. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed by Ed Cummings for an investigation into slavery and supply chains for The Evening Standard and The Independent. He quoted me in his stories in both publications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/slaves-on-our-streets-corporate-leaders-chairmen-exec... |
| Description | Interviewed by Howard Pressman for BBC Radio. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed by Howard Pressman about forced labour in supply chains. The interview was broadcast on BBC Radio Sheffield and other stations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Interviewed by Karen Burke for Radio France Internationale (RFI English). |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed by Karen Burke for Radio France Internationale (RFI English). Quoted in story, "Europe-Migrants at Risk from Human Traffickers, Says EU Report" about modern slavery. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://en.rfi.fr/europe/20160519-migrant-risk-human-traffickers-says-eu-report |
| Description | Kings College Transnational Law Institute Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On 10-11 November 2016, I spoke at a workshop entitled, 'Labour Regulation in Global Supply Chains' hosted by the Transnational Law Institute at Kings College, London. The event was attended by around twenty experts of labour standards in supply chains, including lawyers, NGOs, and policymakers, as well as by post-graduate students. It sparked debate and discussion afterwards, and the convenors are currently working towards a grant proposal that would harness the expertise from that event to influence policy on labour standards in supply chains. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Northern Exposure Meet the Press Lecture series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of the University of Sheffield's Northern Exposure 'Meet the Press' series, I gave a talk for postgraduate students on how to share research with the wider public, reflecting on my experience as Editor of openDemocracy's Beyond Trafficking and Slavery. The event was attended by around 20 students and was recorded for wider dissemination. Fellow panelists included: Peter Cole, Emeritus Professor and previously reporter and US correspondent for the London Evening News and Deputy Editor of The Guardian; Jonathan Grun, Emeritus Editor of the Press Association and twice President of the Society of Editors; Anna Minton, The Guardian and Reader, School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East London. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Off the Shelf Festival of Words / Festival of Debate |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On 2 November 2016, I gave a public lecture as part of the Off the Shelf Festival of Words, co-sponsored by the Festival of Debate. The lecture was attended by around 75 people, including representatives of NGOs and the general public. It generated excellent debate and several further speaking invitations. The lecture was covered with a feature story in Now Then magazine (http://nowthenmagazine.com/sheffield/issue-102/genevieve-lebaron/). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://offtheshelf.org.uk/ |
| Description | Presentation at UK Department For International Development-hosted Government-wide Roundtable on Modern Slavery, Whitehall, 3 May 2017. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I was asked to discuss my research and comment on the UK Government's new strategy on modern slavery at a Government-wide workshop hosted by the UK Department For International Development, called Roundtable on Modern Slavery, Whitehall, 3 May 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Public Lecture at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights in Berlin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On 16 June 2016, I gave a public lecture on 'The Problems with Social Auditing Forced Labour in Supply Chains,' at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation in Berlin. The talk was attended by representatives of international organizations, the EU Commission, national governments, trade unions, lawyers, industry, and academics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Reuters exclusive on my research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | A long-form journalistic article on my research was published by Thomson Reuters, called 'Expose of Labour Abuse Brews Trouble for 'Slave-Free' Indian Tea.' By Serena Chaudhry and Kieran Guilbert, 31 May 2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-forcedlabour-tea/exclusive-expose-of-labor-abuse-brews-trou... |
| Description | SOAS 25th Anniversary Public Lecture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave a public lecture at SOAS, University of London, on 25 October 2016 entitled "Combatting the Business of Forced Labour in Global Supply Chains." Part of their flagship 25th Anniversary of Development Studies Lecture series, the lecture was attended by over 100 students, journalists, and NGO representatives. It sparked questions and discussion afterwards and several attendees have followed up to report increased interest in the subject and to discuss potential solutions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.soas.ac.uk/development/research/labour/events/25oct2016-combatting-the-business-of-force... |
| Description | Science Newsline research profile, 'Employee Outsourcing Hides Slaves in the Workforce, Shows Research,' 11 September 2017. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | My research was profiled by Science Newsline in an article called, 'Employee Outsourcing Hides Slaves in the Workforce, Shows Research.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Talk at the University of Milan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk at Universita Degli Studi Di Milano as part of an ERC-funded workshop on the 'Genealogies and Practices of Debt' linked to the Shadows of Slavery Project, 22-23 September 2016. The talk was attended by policymakers and NGOs and resulted in deeper understanding of the linkages between debt, migration, and labour unfreedom in the global economy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Thomson Reuters research profile, 'Address Root Causes of Forced Labour to Clean Up Supply Chains: Report.' By Zoe Tabary, 10 January 2018. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Research profiled by Thomson Reuters, article called 'Address Root Causes of Forced Labour to Clean Up Supply Chains: Report.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://news.trust.org/item/20180110000124-i76bg |
| Description | Webinar for Assent Compliance Inc. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Assent Compliance Inc are a company that assists multinational corporations with their global environmental and human rights compliance strategies. They hosted a webinar on 'Looking Ahead: Human Rights Reporting and Accountability,' for corporate compliance managers, to help businesses understand how they are affected by new human trafficking legislation and what they need to do to comply. The event was chaired by Assent Compliance's Kate Dunbar, Human Trafficking Subject Matter Expert, and featured myself and Ethical Trading Initiative's Cindy Berman. The webinar was attended by around 100 industry representatives and then published on Youtube and has raised company awareness about the need to comply with new legislation and provided tools and advice on how to do so. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efFutItXZT4 |
| Description | Yahoo! News research profile, 'Why Businesses Fail to Detect Modern Slavery at Work,' 11 September 2017. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Yahoo News published an extensive profile of my research called, 'Why Businesses Fail to Detect Modern Slavery at Work.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Yale University Film on Slavery in Supply Chains |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Yale University hired a filmmaker, Daniel Vieira, to make a 15-20 minute documentary about my research on forced labour in global supply chains. I worked with Daniel and David Blight, Professor of History at Yale and a best-selling author on slavery, to write a script and shoot the film. The film was shot on March 6th 2016 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA and is currently in production. The film will be distributed by: Yale University YouTube CityWide Youth Coalition Immigration and mass incarceration activists openDemocracy-Beyond Trafficking and Slavery distribution networks Films for Action (online documentary distribution network) Teaching for Change (provides social justice materials for secondary school classrooms) Teaching Tolerance (project of the Southern Poverty Law Center): http://www.tolerance.org/ Relevant Film Festival circuits Community-based broadcasters (local access) Relevant museums/art galleries/community spaces/Libraries (digital archives). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Yorkshire Post research profile, 'Firms are Warned of 'Hidden' Slavery in Workforce.' By Lindsay Pantry, 11 September 2017. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Yorkshire Post, published a profile of my research called, 'Firms are Warned of 'Hidden' Slavery in Workforce.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/future-yorkshire/research/labour-supply-chain-are-making-modern-slav... |