Summary
The Remedy Project is launching a series of publications aimed at rethinking forced labour risk assessments with a focus on prevention and improving remediation outcomes. Through this series, we will explore whether decent work deficiencies alongside business model indicators like purchasing practises and cost pressures offer more accurate early warning signals for forced labour than traditional reliance on the International Labour Organization’s Forced Labour (“ILO FL”) Indicators. Upcoming case studies will test this hypothesis by applying a refined framework to real world contexts, offering practical insights on how forced labour assessments can evolve from isolated compliance checks to consider broader structural factors—such as enforcement of legal frameworks, business models that prioritise cost efficiency over worker welfare, subcontracting arrangements, and governance gaps—to help shape accountability for labour abuses. Is there a more accurate and smarter framework of indicators that is more closely aligned to the systemic and flux nature of forced labour whilst also being grounded in an attribution of responsibility that is more equitable and can lead to better remediation outcomes and prevention of forced labour? Lastly, as regulations such as the EU Forced Labour Regulation (“EUFLR”) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CS3D”) gain traction, there is a need to reframe forced labour assessments to focus on systemic prevention, equitable responsibility attribution, and long-term remediation, rather than reactive compliance. This series invites brands, policymakers, NGOs, worker representatives, academic researchers, human rights experts, and industry practitioners to engage with the findings and contribute to a broader dialogue on eradicating forced labour by tackling root causes. Is it time to move beyond checklist-driven assessments and address the deeper business models that perpetuate exploitation?