Breaking the chains: SOS interview in PFM magazine

Amanda Vlietstra of Premises and Facilities Management magazine speaks to Callum MacLeod and Angie Morrish, directors of Stamp Out Slavery, about why modern slavery is a problem for FM – and what the industry needs to do about it.

It’s estimated that there are currently around 122,000 victims of modern slavery in the UK, and as many as 50,000,000 globally – but that might just be the tip of the iceberg. The truth is that the exact extent of modern slavery (or human trafficking and exploitation, as it’s known in Scottish law) is unclear because by its very nature it’s a hidden problem. 

And when Callum MacLeod and Angie Morrish, directors of Stamp Out Slavery, which works with organisations to reduce slavery in the workplace, first began investigating the issue, they uncovered a disturbing reality about which many companies are simply unaware. "When we initially researched the commercial cleaning industry, we discovered something shocking: we were doing absolutely nothing to prevent modern slavery," Callum says. 

Of course, it’s not just commercial cleaning that has a modern slavery problem. Stamp Out Slavery emerged from an industry panel hosted by their board member, Ben Douglas-Jones, a barrister specialising in modern slavery. Douglas-Jones engaged MacLeod to conduct the initial research, which was eye-opening - 23% of potential victims were found to come from sectors like car washes. However, the facilities management industry – which incorporates cleaning, security, catering – was found to be particularly vulnerable, sitting as it does at a critical intersection of vulnerability. Low-margin business models create intense pressure to minimise labour costs, while complex supply chains and multiple subcontractors make oversight challenging. "Companies often don't know how workers are being recruited or managed," MacLeod explains. "The visibility is deliberately obscured by those perpetuating the exploitation."

Indeed, what makes modern slavery so insidious is its ability to hide in plain sight. "The exploitation often comes from within," MacLeod says. "It's not about external gangs, but unscrupulous contract managers and supervisors manipulating documentation and wages."

Read the full article HERE