LISTEN TO THE WEBINAR :

SDG Target 8.7 calls for all nations “to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour”. Other voluntary mechanisms, such as the UNGPs, drive the corporate responsibility to respect human rights. Moreover, legislation has been introduced in several countries worldwide, and the direction of travel is for more to be enshrined globally. 

For example, legislation has been introduced in the form of the Modern Slavery Acts in the U.K. and Australia, France has its Duty de Vigilance, and several draft child labour and human right due diligence legislations are at various stages of introduction and consultation in the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and EU-wide. Market drivers for corporate engagement include share price impact, risk of loss of business for non-compliance, fines, sanctions and reputational damage. 

This webinar will include expert commentary from organisations, including Ardea International, Biffa, Fresca Group, Marshalls, Presca Sportswear, PMP Recruitment, Ride For Freedom and Unseen, how they are forging partnerships, educating and raising awareness in addition to undertaking human rights due diligence, implementing policies, delivering processes and remediation programmes in order to respond to SDG Target 8.7’s requirements by the 2030 deadline. 

The session will serve as the formal launch of the Ride For Freedom flagship 2021 “El Gordo” cycling challenge. The 2,900 kilometre route, from Cadiz, Spain, via France, to London, England, has been conceived to shine a light on a documented human trafficking route from southern Spain to the U.K. Gordon Miller, team leader of Ride For Freedom, will lead the cycle that fundraises to deliver the Freewheel by Ride For Freedom programme that enables survivors of modern slavery to cycle.

Speaker panel

Learn from the experts:

• Colleen Theron, Ardea International, who will moderate the webinar

• Chris Harrop OBE, Marshalls Plc

• Mel Flogdell, Biffa

• Gordon Miller, Ride For Freedom

• Shayne Tyler, Fresca Group

• Andrew Wallis OBE, Unseen

• Guy Whitby, Presca Sportswear

• Gordon Mitchell, PMP Recruitment

Speaker Bio’s

Colleen Theron, CEO Ardea International

Colleen is a tri qualified lawyer with over 25 years of legal and commercial experience of working with business, organisations and NGOs across sectors on both a strategic and operational level. She provides advisory services, training and online resources to both directors and employees on human rights, modern slavery and sustainability issues. Colleen has an LLM (with distinction) in Environmental Law from the University of Aberdeen. She sits on the advisory board for LexisPSL Environment and was nominated as one of the Top 100 Corporate Modern Slavery influencers in the UK in 2018.

Mel Flogdell, Divisional HR Director, Biffa

Melanie joined Biffa in July 2013 as a Head of HR before being appointed to her current role in November 2017. In addition to her divisional role Melanie is the Biffa business lead for Modern Slavery and Diversity and Inclusion. Prior to joining Biffa, Melanie was Head of Policy at Centrica from 2005 to 2012 winning a number of awards for various Diversity and Inclusion policies and practices. Melanie started her career with Marks and Spencer as a Graduate Personnel Trainee in 1993, working her way up to Head of HR in 2000 a role she held until the end of 2004.

Chris Harrop OBE, Group Sustainability Director at Marshalls plc 

Chris is an accomplished marketing and sustainability professional and Fellow of the IOD and IEMA with a proven global track record. He was Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact UK Network for four years from January 2013 and was a Non-Executive Director of the Ethical Trade Initiative for 10 years from January 2011. Chris currently is a Non-Exec Director of the Fairtax Mark, Chair of Made in Britain and a trustee of the Greater Manchester Immigration Advice Unit. He received his OBE in 2019 for services to the Prevention of Modern Slavery and Exploitation.

Gordon Miller, founder and team leader, Ride For Freedom 

Gordon leads Ride For Freedom, the social enterprise whose mission is to utilise the universal appeal and power of cycling to deliver positive social impacts and specifically to raise awareness, educate and forge partnerships to end modern slavery. The initiative undertakes inspirational cycling challenges, including the successful Guinness World Record #RideForFreedom2020 and the forthcoming #RideForFreedom2021challenges, and delivers the Freewheel survivor remediation programme that empowers victims of modern slavery to cycle. 

Shayne Tyler, Group Compliance Director at Fresca Group 

Shayne is the compliance director for a leading fresh food supplier to retail accounts. A practical and hands-on leader with over 25 years’ experience of people leadership within the food industry, he has during this time directly managed variable levels of employee exploitation identification and resolution. Shayne has actively helped shape legislation, guidance, best practice and support mechanisms for the prevention and eradication of worker abuse.

Andrew Wallis OBE, Unseen CEO 

Andrew Wallis is the CEO of anti-slavery organization Unseen, which provides safe housing and other services for survivors of trafficking, runs the Modern Slavery Helpline, and works with businesses and others in the eradication of slavery. Andrew chaired the landmark Centre for Social Justice report ‘It Happens ere’, widely acknowledged as the catalyst for the UK Modern Slavery Act of 2015, which he also advised on the development of. He was awarded an OBE that year. 

Guy Whitby, Operations Director, Presca Sportswear

Guy is the co-founder of Presca, a clothing company on a mission to make sportswear better. Better in every way, in terms of the sustainability of the fibres and manufacturing processes used, as well as the ethics of manufacture. Guy is a multiple Ironman triathlete in this spare time, and the driving force behind the company’s social purpose.

Gordon Mitchell, Divisional Director, PMP Recruitment 

An experienced leader within the on-site managed service recruitment field, Gordon works with organisations at a strategic level to build compliant seasonal temporary labour solutions. He has firsthand experience of Labour Exploitation within his supply chain and leads the Cordant Group strategy and operational plans to reduce risk of further instances.

The webinar will last 60 minutes and includes a question and answer session. At the point of registration you will have the opportunity to submit questions you would like to our speakers to respond to on the live webinar.

Unable to join us on the day? We will record this webinar. If you are unable to attend live, please register and we will send you a link to the recording after the webinar and a link to download the speakers’ presentations and other outputs.

Partner

This webinar is paired with Ardea International’s online workshop ‘STOP child labour: how to address child labour in supply chains’.

You may also be interested in Business & Human Rights online training and support programme.