The online event will take place next week on Thursday 31 October, from 16.00 to 17.15.

The session will be co-hosted by Elaine Mitchel-Hill, international lead, Design for Freedom, Grace Farms Foundation, who developed the supply chain accelerator series for SAMS.

Expert speakers include Dr Sofia Gonzalez de Aguinaga, Research Fellow in Business, ESG & Modern Slavery, Dr Martin Buttle, Better Work Lead at CCLA Investment Management, and David Wray, International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants and International CFO Alliance.

Elaine Mitchel-Hill

Ms Mitchel-Hill said: “The finance sector has a massively important role to play in the elimination of modern slavery and human trafficking.

“Chief finance officers within organisations are uniquely positioned to contribute to the elimination of slavery in business operations and global supply chains. They are often the gate keeper to the financial resources required to undertake appropriate human rights due diligence.

“They are also well positioned to weigh up the moral and legal obligations that a business has, and to assess the cost of appropriate actions as well as the cost of doing nothing. And there absolutely is a cost to businesses of taking little or no action to address modern slavery.”

Shan Saba, founder of SAMS and director at Brightwork, said: “The truth is that many businesses still do not know where human rights risks lie in their operations or in their supply chains. Often, they do not know where to begin to find out where risks lie, and to comply with legislation effectively.

“This accelerator series takes a very practical approach to building understanding and allowing organisations to begin to take action. In this session we’ll hear from our presenters in a Q&A panel session, and you will also be able to put questions to them directly.”

To sign up to the SAMS Human Rights in Supply Chain Accelerator Series register here.