Globally, modern slavery impacts nearly 46 million people. While for many this invokes images of crowded fashion industry sweatshops, the real picture is far more pervasive – touching every industry, and almost every supply chain. And in Australia, conservative estimates suggest 15,000 people are living and working in slave-like conditions. While the Australian Institute of Criminology puts those numbers closer to 1900 identified cases, they also say it is likely that only 1 in 5 are identified. Either way, even one person living in slavery in Austarlia is one too many.
“Here we’re seeing it mostly in the agriculture, construction, domestic service, hospitality, retail and sex industries,” explains Sarah Morse, Macquarie University Incubator resident and cofounder of startup Unchained Business Services with husband and Macquarie alumnus, Dr Stephen Morse. “Also, the risk has increased immeasurably with COVID-19, particularly among students and migrant workers excluded from government support. Global numbers are also growing faster than can be counted, with the disruption of global supply chains.”
Stephen and Sarah created Unchained to help Australian companies comply with the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018, a culmination of decades of deep involvement in humanitarian work. After the couple spent five years in human trafficking intervention in Spain – during which time Stephen wrote his doctorate on the topic – they returned to assimilate their expertise and lived experience into something meaningful back home.
“At the time, the Act hadn’t yet been passed,” Sarah recalls. “We developed this idea of helping companies to first comply, then build on that to make a genuine impact on modern slavery. Underneath our vision lies the stories of survivors we worked with who’d been trafficked into Spain. We want to make a systemic impact which also touches individual lives.”
Unchained provides facilitation, training and strategic planning services to companies of varying types and sizes. While others – including top tier firms – offer compliance consulting, Unchained stands alone in its approach favouring positivity, inspiration, empowerment and long term impact. Unchained encourages businesses they work with to lead beyond compliance and be a horizontal reference point for others in their industry.
“The enormity of examining and taking ownership of their supply chains can be daunting for companies,” Sarah explains. “But beyond an intentionally ethical brand, practically everyone has slaves in their supply chains. So let’s normalise that conversation, and support them to take action and embrace a greater role in ending slavery.”
“Once we’ve worked through compliance, they’re inspired to explore what they can do outside the scope of their business,” adds Stephen. “For example, they could form a shared value partnership with a project which empowers survivors with meaningful employment. They can dedicate time, money or resources to that project and connect meaningfully with it. It’s also a powerful opportunity to get individuals within a company thinking more deeply about modern slavery in their everyday lives and consumer choices, and generate wider awareness and action.”
Unchained leads clients through a multi-stage process, beginning with engaging the board and executive via an interactive workshop.
“We start with the gaps analysis process, looking at business areas that would be impacted, then collaboratively develop an action plan,” Stephen explains. “They leave the process with a comprehensive roadmap they can work through, or engage us for a longer-term project management role. That could entail supply chain mapping, assessing risks, staff engagement and training, supplier engagement, developing policies and position statements, and looking at strategic partnerships to extend impact.”
“More and more companies are contacting us to ask about compliance. Many of them aren’t required to comply, but are finding that they are part of the supply chains of larger companies, and need to comply in order to tender for business and remain competitive in the market.”
Unchained walks the talk, donating their profits to Freedom Business Alliance’s social enterprises to empower survivors, mostly women, through training and employment programs. Not content to wait for financial year-end to generate impact, five per cent of revenues from every gaps analysis session are immediately diverted to the Alliance.
“We can’t hold out for an annual donation when COVID has left more people desperate for jobs and vocational training,” says Sarah. “It also demonstrates to our clients the urgency of the need.”
Joining the Incubator early this year has provided the space and impetus to grow. Unchained has since come into profit, expanded its reputation and networks, and built a diverse team of specialists focused on each area of its end-to-end service – strategy, procurement, supply chain, remediation, policies and social impact. The startup is also working with UK-based partner Fifty Eight, who are currently piloting an app to give workers a voice, and eyeing future expansion in Australia and beyond.
“The opportunities to connect with other local businesses and entrepreneurs have already been invaluable,” says Stephen. “And we’ve been able to grow our skillset and foundations through the support, practical training and access to so many resources.”
With the announcement of the implementation of the NSW Modern Slavery Act on the horizon, more businesses will be pursuing compliance. Unchained’s free online mini gaps analysis survey enables anyone wanting to take the first step to engaging their business to dive in now.
“Our vision is to put the Modern Slavery Act on every boardroom table in Australia in a way that businesses feel inspired to comply, rather than pressured,” says Sarah. “And then to help them go further and see the ripple effect they can have on poverty – the primary cause of slavery.”