Modern Slavery in Supply Chains Tracker
245
May 2026
Supply Chain & Logistics
Confirmed incidents of forced labour, modern slavery, and child labour in corporate supply chains, structured each month from government investigations, NGO reports, judicial proceedings, and investigative press. Each record includes the brand or company implicated, the supply chain tier and geography, the nature of the violation (forced labour, debt bondage, child labour, unsafe conditions), the reporting authority or NGO, and the disclosure date.
Incident of forced labour, modern slavery, or child labour confirmed in a corporate supply chain in May 2026
ESG analysts and responsible investment teams use it for supply chain controversy screening at portfolio companies. Corporate sustainability and procurement teams at large brands use it to identify third-party supplier risk before it becomes public. Compliance officers preparing Modern Slavery Act statements use it to benchmark peer company disclosures and identify sector-level risks. Journalists and advocacy organisations investigating corporate supply chain practices use it as a structured source of confirmed incidents.
3696
<table class="catchall-table"><thead><tr><th style="min-width:40px">#</th><th style="min-width:180px">Brand / Company</th><th style="min-width:130px">Supply Chain Tier</th><th style="min-width:120px">Country</th><th style="min-width:150px">Violation Type</th><th style="min-width:160px">Reporting Authority</th><th style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">Disclosure Date</th><th style="min-width:280px">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="min-width:40px">1</td><td style="min-width:180px">Perdue</td><td style="min-width:130px">Janitorial service</td><td style="min-width:120px">United States</td><td style="min-width:150px">Child labour</td><td style="min-width:160px">Federal investigators, Homeland Security</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">2026-05-13</td><td style="min-width:280px">A former manager pleaded guilty to helping undocumented minors obtain fraudulent IDs to work at an Accomack County poultry plant.</td></tr><tr><td style="min-width:40px">2</td><td style="min-width:180px">Imitation Jewelry Factories</td><td style="min-width:130px">Factory</td><td style="min-width:120px">India</td><td style="min-width:150px">Child labour</td><td style="min-width:160px">Mumbai Municipal Corporation</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">2026-05-05</td><td style="min-width:280px">Imitation jewelry factories in Mumbai slums were found employing child labour, with girls aged 16–17 among those working in unauthorised conditions.</td></tr><tr><td style="min-width:40px">3</td><td style="min-width:180px">BYD</td><td style="min-width:130px">Subcontractors</td><td style="min-width:120px">Hungary</td><td style="min-width:150px">Modern slavery</td><td style="min-width:160px">China Labor Watch</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">2026-05-25</td><td style="min-width:280px">China Labor Watch reported allegations of modern slavery including debt bondage involving fifty Chinese guest workers at a BYD factory construction site.</td></tr><tr><td style="min-width:40px">4</td><td style="min-width:180px">BYD</td><td style="min-width:130px">Factory construction site</td><td style="min-width:120px">Brazil</td><td style="min-width:150px">Modern slavery</td><td style="min-width:160px">Brazil's Labor Ministry</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">2026-05-01</td><td style="min-width:280px">Brazil's Labor Ministry blacklisted BYD after 163 workers were found in slavery-like conditions at its Camaçari factory construction site.</td></tr><tr><td style="min-width:40px">5</td><td style="min-width:180px">—</td><td style="min-width:130px">Global supply chain</td><td style="min-width:120px">Canada</td><td style="min-width:150px">Labour trafficking</td><td style="min-width:160px">ESDC, CBSA, ILO</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">2026-05-10</td><td style="min-width:280px">Surge in labour trafficking and modern slavery in Canada's corporate supply chains reported, predominantly affecting temporary migrant workers.</td></tr><tr class="catchall-blurred"><td style="min-width:40px">6</td><td style="min-width:180px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:130px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:120px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:150px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:160px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">████████████</td><td style="min-width:280px">████████████</td></tr><tr class="catchall-blurred"><td style="min-width:40px">7</td><td style="min-width:180px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:130px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:120px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:150px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:160px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">████████████</td><td style="min-width:280px">████████████</td></tr><tr class="catchall-blurred"><td style="min-width:40px">8</td><td style="min-width:180px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:130px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:120px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:150px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:160px">████████████</td><td style="min-width:110px;white-space:nowrap">████████████</td><td style="min-width:280px">████████████</td></tr></tbody></table>
<h3>How is this different from the ESG Controversy Monitor?</h3><p>The ESG Controversy Monitor covers a broad range of corporate ESG controversy events including governance and environmental incidents. This tracker focuses exclusively on forced labour, modern slavery, and child labour in supply chains — a specific regulatory and reputational risk category with its own legislative framework (UK Modern Slavery Act, Australian Modern Slavery Act, US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act).</p><h3>Are Tier 1 suppliers only covered, or does this go deeper into supply chains?</h3><p>Coverage reflects what is publicly reported. Most confirmed incidents involve Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliers; deeper supply chain exposures are included where an investigation has confirmed the link to a named brand.</p><h3>Does this include US CBP Withhold Release Orders?</h3><p>Yes. US Customs and Border Protection Withhold Release Orders (WROs) and Findings are included as confirmed forced labour incidents linked to specific suppliers and product categories.</p>