An Interdisciplinary Research Initiative on Modern Slavery Prevalence within the Global Fashion Sector: Collaborative Insights from BSP Berlin and Wikirate
Abstract
This article presents an interdisciplinary research initiative undertaken by the Sustainable Fashion Design and Management Bachelor Program at BSP Berlin in conjunction with the digital platform Wikirate and NGO Walk Free. This project critically examines the prevalence of modern slavery practices within the international fashion sector. Through an extensive empirical investigation involving modern slavery statements from diverse UK based fashion entities, this initiative, under the leadership of Prof. Marte Hentschel, aimed to enhance students’ research competencies with specialized tools and methodologies in alignment with the Modern Slavery Act’s metrics provided by Wikirate and the Modern Slavery Index by Walk Free.
Introduction
Modern slavery remains a pervasive issue within the fashion industry, situated alarmingly at the second position on the Modern Slavery Index. Despite numerous reports delineating efforts to combat this issue, inconsistencies and transparency concerns abound. The collaboration between BSP Berlin and Wikirate introduced a novel approach for student researchers to confront these challenges, leveraging the Wikirate platform’s capabilities to foster structured, comparable, and openly accessible corporate data.
Methodology
The research methodology was meticulously designed to equip students with the ability to navigate through the complexities of corporate sustainability reporting. Utilizing the Wikirate platform, the students conducted a detailed assessment of of Modern Slavery Statements published under the UK and Australian Modern Slavery Acts from selected fashion companies. This process entailed identifying key metrics related to modern slavery and assessing the extent of each company’s adherence to these standards. Through this method, the project aimed to render corporate efforts against modern slavery both measurable and transparent.
Findings
Data Accessibility and Quality: The research unearthed a varied landscape of company disclosures and reporting practices, with notable discrepancies in accessibility, measurability, and third-party verification. Many companies employed complex, inaccessible language and designs, which, coupled with a lack of on-site audits and third-party approvals, obfuscated the true extent of their efforts against modern slavery.
Corporate Transparency and Accountability: A critical insight from the research was the substantial lack of transparency concerning supplier chains, particularly beyond tier 1 suppliers. Reports rarely named specific suppliers or detailed incidents of modern slavery, nor did they outline concrete steps taken to prevent future occurrences. The length of statements has been increasing, yet the substance and measurability of the actions reported often remained lacking.
Recommendations
The project highlighted the importance of applying rigorous data research methodology and the need for clear legal frameworks to guide industry practices. It also emphasized the necessity of differentiating between truthful and misleading claims, enhancing industry-wide awareness of modern slavery issues.
To address the identified gaps, the project advocates for standardized reporting guidelines and the use of accessible language. It calls for mandatory disclosure of report authorship, third-party assessments, and audits, especially beyond the initial tiers of supply chains. Additionally, it recommends outlining clear, measurable steps for combating modern slavery, complete with timelines and success metrics, and suggests implementing a scoring mechanism for rating and ranking companies based on their efforts.
Conclusion
The collaboration between BSP Berlin’s Sustainable Fashion Design and Management program and Wikirate represents a pivotal step towards addressing modern slavery in the fashion industry. Through diligent research and analysis, data is collected to help measure the companies’ compliance with modern slavery reporting legislation. The project not only sheds light on current practices but also sets forth a comprehensive set of recommendations for fostering transparency, accountability, and effective action against modern slavery. As the fashion industry continues to grapple with these issues, initiatives like this underscore the critical role of collaborative research and open data in driving meaningful change.
About the Author
Marte Hentschel, Professor for Sustainable Fashion at BSP Berlin’s Faculty Creative Business is an experienced educator, serial entrepreneur, ideational leader & sustainability expert in platform creation and responsible sourcing with long term experience in co-creation formats, change processes and applying digital technologies to industries in flux.
Contributing student researchers
Erik Abramov, Maximilian Bruggeman, Valleria Madeira de Miranda, Celina Cassandra Schmidt, Anika Sophie Schneider, Luise Seele
BSP Berlin’s Creative Business faculty merges business management with insights into creative industries’ innovation. Its Sustainable Fashion Design and Management Bachelor’s degree prepares future designers and managers to champion fairness in fashion, emphasizing responsibility in their practices. The program responds to the call for industry reform with new concepts, focusing on comprehensive education in ecological, cultural, and social sustainability throughout the fashion production process.
Wikirate is an open data platform powered by a community that collects, analyzes, & shares data on company sustainability. Wikirate uses technology and crowd-sourcing to bring together key open sustainability data for policy makers, researchers, advocacy organizations and others to use. The platform serves as a database for partner research organizations, and provides creative commons open licensing to all the data and research tools.
Walk Free is an international human rights organization based in Perth, Western Australia. Its main goal is ending modern slavery in all its forms. Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 seeks to end modern slavery by appealing to the international community.
