b'If youre looking properly, youre likely to identify issues of exploitation or modern slavery somewhere in your operations or supply chains. Robin Mellon Robin Mellon is the CEO of Better Sydney, Project Manager for the AusLSA Modern Slavery Co-Lab, and Director, UN Global Compact Network AustraliaThere are three main areas where law firms canhuman rights and profitability, for example, improve how they assess and address the risksshould be explored and understood so that of harm to people from modern slavery: each organisation knows which levers to pull and which strategies to combine and pursue. DEVELOP TRAINING AND RAISETo hear of issues and concerns, its important AWARENESS ABOUT MODERNthat grievance mechanisms are developed, SLAVERY, FOR BOTH STAFF ANDsupported, communicated and promoted and SUPPLIERS. tested for staff and suppliersnot just to hear the negatives, but to encourage constructive Many organisations have been producingfeedback and positive suggestions around education and training programs for their staff,sustainability and human rights, and ensure together with case study sessions and guestcontinuous improvement.speakers. Its important that staff not only recognise and identify exploitation or modernWHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIND slavery when they see it, but that they alsoMODERN SLAVERY IN YOUR overcome the Bystander Effect that occursOPERATIONS OR SUPPLY CHAINS.when many people observe an issue; fewer staff are likely to speak up if they think others areOver time, if youre looking properly, youre also aware. Genuine action on modern slaverylikely to identify issues of exploitation or means encouraging staff and suppliers to voicemodern slavery somewhere in your operations concerns, particularly if they think others mightor supply chains. Rather than burying your head be aware. With suppliers it is vital to ensurein the sand, think about what youll do when that they will come to you with concerns aboutthis situation arises. How will you protect those issues within their own supply chains; it isat risk? How can you provide remediation to better to create a culture of engagement andthem? And how can you change your business action around modern slavery concerns thanand processes to ensure it doesnt happen for suppliers to think that they cant collaborateagain? Support the development, evolution, with you for fear of losing the business. and promotion of a formal modern slavery remediation process, so that not only do you know what to do when modern slavery MODERN SLAVERY IS NOTis reported but that people (and the risk of A STANDALONE ISSUE, BUTharm to people) are put at the centre of the PART OF AN INTEGRATEDprocess, and rights-holders can be given safety, SUSTAINABILITY PICTURE. autonomy, agency and support.Make sure that your staff and suppliers are not only embedding modern slavery riskAs well as the Australian Legal Sector Alliance, mitigation strategies as part of broaderthere are national and global examples of sustainable procurement principles butleadership and collaboration around human making the connections between differentrights worth noting, including the UN Global sustainability issues. Ensure that procurementCompact Network Australias Forward teams are given support to connect key issuesFaster campaign, encouraging action around through their work. The interconnectednesskey topics including Gender Equality and between climate action, gender equality,Living Wage, at https://forwardfaster.unglobalcompact.org/ 29'