You are warmly invited to join us for an exclusive gathering of thought leaders, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers committed to confronting forced labour and exploitation in the UK and beyond.

This conference is part of the strategic partnership between the British Standards Institution and King’s Business School, aimed at accelerating the impact of BS 25700 and fostering more ethical practices across supply chains.

Drawing on a series of Learning Labs with selected partners, the event is grounded in practice-led insights that inform a forward-looking agenda.

We meet at a pivotal juncture: with the UK Government’s renewed focus on victim-centred policy, the establishment of the Fair Work Agency, and global shifts such as the EU’s Forced Labour Regulation and innovative cross-sector collaborations, the landscape is evolving rapidly.

With more than 50 million people still trapped in modern slavery worldwide, this conference invites bold conversations about regulation, the transformative power of standards, and the challenges practitioners face when establishing the business case for respecting human rights.

Through real-world case studies and hands-on workshops, the event will showcase practical solutions aligned with BS 25700’s guidance—providing attendees with the tools to embed resilience and responsibility into their organisations.

Join us in shaping collaborative responses that drive ethical transformation across sectors.

Registration for this event will open in September.

Agenda:

9.30am - Coffee & Networking

10.00am - Welcome and Introductions 

10.15am - Setting the context: BSI and KBS partnership

10.20am - Plenary Panel 1: The evolving regulatory landscape and the role of standards

11.05am - Plenary Panel 2: Why is the business case to tackle modern slavery so difficult to establish?

12.00pm - Keynote presentation 

12.45pm - Lunch 

1.45pm - Break-out workshops

Workshop 1: Training with Impact: What Effective Modern Slavery Training Really Requires

Workshop 2: Due Diligence in Action: Moving from Policy to Practicality 

Workshop 3: Beyond the Supply Chain: How SMEs Navigate Modern Slavery Risk

3.00pm - Plenary panel 3: Modern Slavery in Context: Intersections Across the Human Rights Landscape

3.45pm - Close and next steps

4:00pm - Close