You Don't Have to Write an Essay

Let me address a pet peeve I have with many of the Modern Slavery Statements (MSS) I read - and I read a lot of them!

Some MSS authors seem to feel they have to write an essay on the topic of Modern Slavery. They start out reciting definitions, statutory provisions, the Modern Slavery Act (sometimes the wrong one!) and goodness knows what else - all in order to show how much they know about the topic. ?

Often these essays contain embarrassing errors and misquote legislative provisions and sources. Some of them are even cut and pasted, perpetuating the mistakes made by others. It's a complete waste!?

But more than that, the thought that you might have to write such an essay just because others are doing it can be a significant disincentive to reporting - especially for someone contemplating filing a voluntary MSS for the first time. ?So, if you're tempted to write that essay - DON'T!

Maybe I'm being too harsh and the type of statements I'm complaining about are prepared to meet two purposes:?

• educate?those who form the "principal governing body" of the reporting entity and who have to approve the MSS;
• comply?with?the mandatory reporting requirements.

But a MSS is probably not the best tool to meet the education purpose. That would be better met by conducting some real education within your organization. And if you did that, you could even include it in your MSS as one of the positive steps you'd taken!

Hopefully you can see where I might be heading with this. It's a lot easier to meet the reporting requirement if you streamline your statement. The best statements do exactly that. They focus on the mandatory criteria. They describe the supply chains, identify the risks and say what's been done about them. They're lean and direct. ?That's what I'd like to see your statements aiming for - especially if you're a small businesses and actually want to get on with business!

For Tip #3, I'll talk about (rant against) the type of MSS that looks like it's been prepared by someone (you know who) "from marketing" or PR!?

Engage

What do you think of the suggestion that it might be better to stay focused on meeting the reporting criteria rather than trying to make the MSS do work for which it was not designed?