scholarly journals Australia’s Modern Slavery Act and COVID-19: a get out of jail free card?

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-230
Author(s):  
Fiona McGaughey
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
The World ◽  
Assessment Training

The COVID-19 pandemic increased modern slavery risk around the world, including in the operations and supply chains of Australian businesses. This article thematically analyses a sample of available business statements under Australia’s Modern Slavery Act to assess how they engaged with modern slavery risks due to COVID-19. Overall, the statements acknowledged that COVID-19 had increased risks through rapidly altered supply chain profiles, urgent demand for items such as PPE, and yet there were widespread reports of reduced capacity to fully execute planned modern slavery risk assessment, training, and audit activities.

Using the risk-based approach to curb modern slavery in the supply chain

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-322
Author(s):  
Ehi Eric Esoimeme
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Money Laundering ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Due Diligence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
Anglo American ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This paper aims to critically examine the modern slavery statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. to determine the level of effectiveness of the risk assessment and risk mitigation measures of both companies and provide recommendations on how the risk assessment and risk mitigation measures of both companies could be strengthened. Design/methodology/approach The analysis took the form of a desk study, which analysed various documents and reports such as the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Transparency in Supply Chains) Regulations 2015, the UK Guidance issued under Section 54(9) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the 2018 Global Slavery Index, funded by Forrest’s Walk Free Foundation, the Anglo American Plc. Modern Slavery Statement of 2017/18, the Marks and Spencer Modern Slavery Statement of 2017/18, the Financial Action Task Force Guidance on the Risk Based Approach to Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High Level Principles and Procedures) 2007, the Financial Action Task Force International Standards On Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation (The FATF Recommendations) 2012, the Australia Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007 (No. 1) (as amended), the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada Guidance on the risk-based approach to combatting money laundering and terrorist financing 2017 and the Central Bank of Nigeria (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism in Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria) Regulations, 2013. Findings This paper determined that the standard due diligence measures and the enhanced due diligence measures of Anglo American Plc. are not effective enough to identify/assess the risk(s) of modern slavery in the supply chains reason being that Anglo American Plc. does not use diverse methods/methodologies for her due diligence programme. This paper, however, determined that the standard due diligence measures and the enhanced due diligence measures of Marks and Spencer Group Plc. are effective enough to identify/assess the risk(s) of modern slavery in the supply chains because Marks and Spencer adopts diverse methods/methodologies for her due diligence programme. This paper also determined that both Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. adopt diverse methods for the monitoring of their corrective action plans which are designed to mitigate the modern slavery risk(s) associated with high-risk suppliers. For example, Anglo American Plc. monitors anti-modern slavery compliance with the use of both internal Anglo American teams and third-party auditors to ensure that the identified issues are adequately addressed. Research limitations/implications This paper focuses on Section 54 of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Modern Slavery Statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc for the year 2017/18. Originality/value Several articles have been published on this topic. Among them, is an article by Stefan Gold, Alexander Trautrims and Zoe Trodd titled “Modern slavery challenges to supply chain management”, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 20 Issue: 5, pp.485-494 and an article by Stephen John New titled “Modern slavery and the supply chain: the limits of corporate social responsibility?”, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 20 Issue: 6, pp.697-707. The article by Stefan Gold, Alexander Trautrims and Zoe Trodd drew attention to the challenges modern slavery poses to supply chain management. Although the article briefly talked about the risk-based approach to monitoring supply chains for slavery, it did not discuss about the due diligence measures that UK firms are required to apply during risk identification and risk assessment, and the risk mitigation measures that will address the risk(s) that have been identified. The article by Stephen John New examines legal attempts to encourage supply chain transparency and the use of corporate social responsibility methods. Though the article mentions the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, more attention was paid to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act [S.B. 657], State of California, 2010), enacted in 2011 and in effect from 2012. The article analysed the California Act without critically discussing the risk assessment procedures for UK companies. In addition to discussing the different stages of the risk assessment/risk management process, this paper will examine the modern slavery statements of Anglo American Plc. and Marks and Spencer Group Plc. This paper will provide recommendations on how the risk assessment/risk mitigation measures of both companies could be strengthened. This is the only paper to adopt this kind of approach. The analysis/recommendations in this paper will help UK companies to design effective due diligence procedures for their supply chain.

Broken chocolate: biomarkers as a method for delivering cocoa supply chain visibility

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Lafargue ◽  
Michael Rogerson ◽  
Glenn C. Parry ◽  
Joel Allainguillaume
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Unknown Origin ◽  
Child Labour ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
Chain Map

Purpose This paper examines the potential of “biomarkers” to provide immutable identification for food products (chocolate), providing traceability and visibility in the supply chain from retail product back to farm. Design/methodology/approach This research uses qualitative data collection, including fieldwork at cocoa farms and chocolate manufacturers in Ecuador and the Netherlands and semi-structured interviews with industry professionals to identify challenges and create a supply chain map from cocoa plant to retailer, validated by area experts. A library of biomarkers is created using DNA collected from fieldwork and the International Cocoa Quarantine Centre, holders of cocoa varieties from known locations around the world. Matching sample biomarkers with those in the library enables identification of origins of cocoa used in a product, even when it comes from multiple different sources and has been processed. Findings Supply chain mapping and interviews identify areas of the cocoa supply chain that lack the visibility required for management to guarantee sustainability and quality. A decoupling point, where smaller farms/traders’ goods are combined to create larger economic units, obscures product origins and limits visibility. These factors underpin a potential boundary condition to institutional theory in the industry’s fatalism to environmental and human abuses in the face of rising institutional pressures. Biomarkers reliably identify product origin, including specific farms and (fermentation) processing locations, providing visibility and facilitating control and trust when purchasing cocoa. Research limitations/implications The biomarker “meta-barcoding” of cocoa beans used in chocolate manufacturing accurately identifies the farm, production facility or cooperative, where a cocoa product came from. A controlled data set of biomarkers of registered locations is required for audit to link chocolate products to origin. Practical implications Where biomarkers can be produced from organic products, they offer a method for closing visibility gaps, enabling responsible sourcing. Labels (QR codes, barcodes, etc.) can be swapped and products tampered with, but biological markers reduce reliance on physical tags, diminishing the potential for fraud. Biomarkers identify product composition, pinpointing specific farm(s) of origin for cocoa in chocolate, allowing targeted audits of suppliers and identifying if cocoa of unknown origin is present. Labour and environmental abuses exist in many supply chains and enabling upstream visibility may help firms address these challenges. Social implications By describing a method for firms in cocoa supply chains to scientifically track their cocoa back to the farm level, the research shows that organizations can conduct social audits for child labour and environmental abuses at specific farms proven to be in their supply chains. This provides a method for delivering supply chain visibility (SCV) for firms serious about tackling such problems. Originality/value This paper provides one of the very first examples of biomarkers for agricultural SCV. An in-depth study of stakeholders from the cocoa and chocolate industry elucidates problematic areas in cocoa supply chains. Biomarkers provide a unique biological product identifier. Biomarkers can support efforts to address environmental and social sustainability issues such as child labour, modern slavery and deforestation by providing visibility into previously hidden areas of the supply chain.

E-Business Supply Chains Drivers, Metrics, and ERP Integration

2018 ◽  
pp. 5345-5356
Author(s):  
Jean C. Essila
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Organizational Success ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Driver Performance ◽  
The World ◽  
Performance Drivers ◽  
Erp Integration

The world of business is witnessing the emergence of electronic supply chains (e-SC). As more business is performed via the Internet, e-SCs are becoming an integral part of supply chain management SCM). With business via the Internet requiring different fulfillment approaches, traditional drivers of regular supply chains are no longer adequate for explaining how e-SC performance is driven. The task of SC professionals is more complicated than ever. This situation often leads to unsatisfied customers, which can force companies to close their doors. Therefore, understanding e-SCM performance drivers and their integration with ERP becomes a necessity. Little attention has been devoted to SCM performance driver evaluation. This article discusses the performance drivers of e-SCs and their integration with ERPs. SCM is among the most important factors to organizational success. Effective SCM can enhance competitiveness and increase profitability. Nevertheless, SCM professionals and other actors must understand the factors that undergird driver performance.

On the Anti-Bribery “Watchlist”: Compliance and Labor/Anti-Trafficking Issues

2019 ◽  
pp. 675-696
Author(s):  
Andrew Boutros
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Child Labor ◽  
Forced Labor ◽  
Labor Laws ◽  
Labor Practices ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
Federal Contracts ◽  
The Uk

Today’s companies must understand and prevent the myriad problems flowing from labor issues. Increasingly demanding, serious compliance attention and resources are now being focused on the emerging area of human anti-trafficking and forced labor laws and regulations as they relate to business supply chains. These mandates include the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, the Executive Order on Strengthening Protections Against Trafficking in Persons in Federal Contracts, and the UK Modern Slavery Act of 2015. By enlisting or conscripting companies into the fight against human trafficking, child labor, and other “forced” or “coerced” labor practices, these laws introduce a wholly new compliance reality requiring accountability and supply chain compliance.

scholarly journals A Neutrosophic AHP and TOPSIS Framework for Supply Chain Risk Assessment in Automotive Industry of Pakistan

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Junaid ◽  
Ye Xue ◽  
Muzzammil Wasim Syed ◽  
Ji Zu Li ◽  
Muhammad Ziaullah
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Supply Chain Risk Management ◽  
Supply Chain Risk ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy ◽  
Supply Chain Resilience ◽  
Supply Chain Risks

Risk is inherent in all parts of life and brings consequences, but when it specifically emerges in supply chains, it is susceptible. Therefore, this study aims at identifying and assessing supply chain risks and developing criteria for managing these risks. Supply chain (SC) risks consist of complex, uncertain, and vague information, but risk assessment techniques in the literature have been unable to handle complexity, uncertainty, and vagueness. Therefore, this study presents a holistic approach to supply chain risk management. In this paper, neutrosophic (N) theory is merged with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) to deal with complexity, uncertainty, and vagueness. Then the proposed methodology is practically implemented through a case study on the automotive industry. SC resilience, SC agility, and SC robustness were selected as criteria for managing supply chain risks and analyzed using N-AHP. Furthermore, seventeen risks were identified and assessed by using N-TOPSIS. Results suggest supply chain resilience is the most important criterion for managing supply chain risks. Moreover, supplier delivery delays, supplier quality problems, supplier communication failures, and forecasting errors are the most vulnerable risks that occur in supply chains of the automotive industry in Pakistan.

scholarly journals G-NETWORKS AND THE OPTIMIZATION OF SUPPLY CHAINS

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Yi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Optimization Methods ◽  
Optimal Order ◽  
Perishable Products ◽  
Purchase Price ◽  
Order Allocation ◽  
Perishable Items ◽  
The World ◽  
Fresh Products

Supply chains are fundamental to the economy of the world and many supply chains focus on perishable items, such as food, or even clothing that is subject to a limited shelf life due to fashion and seasonable effects. G-networks have not been previously applied to this important area. Thus in this paper, we apply G-networks to supply chain systems and investigate an optimal order allocation problem for a N-node supply chain with perishable products that share the same order source of fresh products. The objective is to find an optimal order allocation strategy to minimize the purchase price per object from the perspective of the customers. An analytical solution based on G-networks with batch removal, together with optimization methods are shown to produce the desired results. The results are illustrated by a numerical example with realistic parameters.

scholarly journals Hidden in plain sight: the bystander effect and the mobilisation of modern slavery whistleblowing

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Bystander Effect ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
Garment Factories

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide new insight into the modern slavery threat and to enhance its detection in supply chains by understanding and addressing barriers to whistleblowing. A broad definition of a whistle-blower is adopted, which includes any witness internal or external to an organisation. Design/methodology/approach This is a viewpoint paper that includes using news reports and other secondary data sources on a recent modern slavery scandal in garment factories in Leicester, UK and the lens of the bystander effect from the social psychology literature. The core focus is on whistleblowing by members of the local community in which an operation or supply chain is embedded. Findings The phenomenon of modern slavery being an “open secret” within the local community is highlighted. But rather than the case being characterised by widespread whistleblowing, the problem only came into full focus when poor working conditions and forced labour during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions contributed to the spread of the virus. It is argued that overcoming this “bystander effect” can lead to the greater mobilisation of modern slavery whistleblowing. Research limitations/implications Two sets of propositions and a conceptual model are provided and seven future research suggestions are outlined, including extending the present study to whistleblowing by victims and other internal members of an organisation or supply chain. Practical implications If it can be mobilised, then whistleblowing has the potential to be an important part of detecting modern slavery, either temporarily replacing audits where they are not possible due to social distancing restrictions or directing the use of limited auditing resources to high-risk factories. In this way, combinations of practices can be effectively used to tackle the threat. Social implications This contributes to addressing an important societal problem and one of the grandest challenges facing modern-day supply chains. This, it has been argued, is an even bigger problem now than ever before given the economic and market conditions created by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Originality/value This is the first paper to focus on operationalising the practice of whistleblowing as a source of greater supply chain intelligence to aid modern slavery detection. Causes of the bystander effect include the perceived low-emergency threat of modern slavery, the high-ambiguity environment, a low bystander responsibility and low assistance/intervention incentive. Countermeasures include elevating the emergency status of modern slavery, creating a shared sense of responsibility for tackling the problem, having clear reporting channels and taking swift and consistent action when instances of modern slavery are detected.

E-Business Supply Chains Drivers, Metrics, and ERP Integration

2019 ◽  
pp. 989-1002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean C. Essila
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Organizational Success ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Driver Performance ◽  
The World ◽  
Performance Drivers ◽  
Erp Integration

The world of business is witnessing the emergence of electronic supply chains (e-SC). As more business is performed via the internet, e-SCs are becoming an integral part of supply chain management (SCM). With business via the internet requiring different fulfillment approaches, traditional drivers of regular supply chains are no longer adequate for explaining how e-SC performance is driven. The task of SC professionals is more complicated than ever. This situation often leads to unsatisfied customers, which can force companies to close their doors. Therefore, understanding e-SCM performance drivers and their integration with ERP becomes a necessity. Little attention has been devoted to SCM performance driver evaluation. This chapter discusses the performance drivers of e-SCs and their integration with ERPs. SCM is among the most important factors to organizational success. Effective SCM can enhance competitiveness and increase profitability. Nevertheless, SCM professionals and other actors must understand the factors that undergird driver performance.

Risk Assessment in Virtual Enterprise Networks

2010 ◽  
pp. 290-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos A. Panayiotou ◽  
Stylianos Oikonomitsios ◽  
Christina Athanasiadou ◽  
Sotiris P. Gayialis
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Enterprise Networks ◽  
Efficient Manner ◽  
Enterprise Network ◽  
Chain Processes

In today’s business environment, supply chains involve a number of autonomous organizations. Agility, effectiveness and efficiency of these supply chains can be achieved by forming virtual enterprise networks. The nature of supply chain processes with inter-organizational activities, involving different enterprises in a virtual enterprise network, increases the need for control in a well-designed and structured manner. Internal Audit activities and controls can help virtual organizations to improve and operate in a more efficient manner. This chapter proposes a methodological approach for the design of the Internal Audit function for risk assessment and control identification of inter-organizational supply chain processes, using business process modelling techniques and an internal audit–oriented enterprise modelling tool. A case study in the auditing of the supply chain processes in a virtual enterprise network demonstrates the application of the suggested methodology and tool.

Creating a Sustainable Supply Chain in Response to Unstable Market Expectations

2016 ◽  
pp. 165-189
Author(s):  
Halina Maria Brdulak ◽  
Anna Janina Brdulak
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Generation X ◽  
Generation Y ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chains ◽  
Development Direction ◽  
The World

This paper aims to indicate a possible development direction for enterprises and sustainable supply chains under circumstances of uncertain economic situation in the world. On the basis of their own research and descriptions of specific examples, the authors think that future strategies will be more oriented on the use of “soft” competences of employees. This direction is confirmed by the quoted research conducted by independent companies. For the purposes of building the strategy of sustainable supply chains it is necessary to engage appropriate leaders who, to a larger degree than previously, will be able to motivate and encourage employees to creative thinking. An additional challenge is presented by generation Y and Z entering the labour market and their co-operation with generation X or even Baby Boomer. The challenged is met, in the authors' opinion, by consistent implementation of the CSR concept providing the basis for creating Lean Management model.

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